Team USA
by Elyse Black
Summary: Complete.Julie Gaffney and Dean Portman. Just friends or is there more under the surface? Follows their story through D2:Mighty Ducks. Follows movie. Original character background. sequel now posted!
1. My Life on Holiday

**((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. I do however own the historical backgrounds on the characters. Flashbacks and such, yes I wrote them.))**

Julie Gaffney, fifteen years old, leaned against the smooth wall of the elevator. Her huge hockey bag sat next to her. The new members of the team were staying in the Minneapolis Liberty Hotel until training ended and they flew to L.A. for the Junior Good Will Games Competition. They were all meeting in the lobby and then going to their first team practice. Julie's body was buzzing with excitement. She hadn't met anyone else from the team yet and she was so anxious to get back on the ice again. She wore tight denim capris, a tight black tank top and converse high-tops. Her hair pulled back in a long blonde braid. It was a little showy, but she couldn't exactly have a bad first impression on an entire team full of boys. At the fifth floor a skinny Asian kid stepped onto the elevator with her and rode the rest of the way to the lobby. As soon as the elevator doors opened Julie recognized the eccentric Don Tibbles standing in the middle of the lobby. He had a small group of teenagers around him.

"Miss Gaffney! Mr. Wu! Over here please." Julie and Ken came over and joined the group. Don counted heads mutely. "We're still missing… ah yes, Portman." The group collectively turned toward the elevator that Dean Portman had just stepped out of. Julie felt a pang in her stomach that signaled her immediate attraction to him. It wasn't just that he was incredibly gorgeous and muscular. He was a bad boy. Julie had a huge soft spot for boys like Dean. She had dated a few of them back in Maine. A lot of it was Julie's rebellion against her parents, who wanted her to date a respectable society boy with a nice family. Julie was far too easily taken to as the adorable, innocent little rich girl. Little did most people know…

_**Dean's POV**_

This whole getting picked for Team USA was awesome and all but there I was thinking we were going straight to L.A. But first we have stupid session training in shit hole Minnesota. I've been here before, after all Chicago was only about six hours from here. My friends and I used to drive up here to see some North Star games. And I can tell you, there is not much to see in this town except…_her_. Tell me that tiny girl is not the leading goalie of New England. She's got to be like what…5'4.

"Okay, that's everyone. Let's go out to the van and head to practice." Don Tibbles said leading the way out the door of the hotel. This was my chance.

"Hey. You're Julie right?"

"Yeah." Julie said fiddling with the strap of her bag.

"I'm Dean Portman. You might've heard of me, I was on Morgan Park from Chicago. I think we played Bangor in the semi-finals.'

"Nope, sorry." She said reaching for her bag.

"You want some help with that?" Julie smiled to her self. Why did guys always assume she couldn't carry anything?

"No, thanks." She easily slung the bag over her shoulder and walked out the door.


	2. First Practice and then some

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes on this page are directly from the movie, so no I don't own those either. And I don't own the song, and I don't know who does so there. I do however own the historical backgrounds on the characters. Flashbacks and such, yes I wrote them))_**

**((a/n: This is going to be a reallllly long chapter. Consider it a blessing because I never write this much in one chapter. Its just that I am being punished and my computer is going to be taken away. And I can still check reviews and even send review on my free periods at school but I can't very well post them at school so…much, much love to all the reviews. Hope you like it.))**

**_Julie's POV_**  
Thank god I'm not the only girl! I knew I wasn't going to be the only girl, I had heard about Connie Moreau but this was the coolest girl I could've asked for. Within the ten minutes we had to change I was briefed with the entire team history. How they used to be District 5 and then Bombay came along and made them the Ducks and how they won the State Pee-Wee Championship; How her and Guy have been together since like forever. She also made a bet that I'd hook up with either Banks or Conway by the end of season. Not that I knew who any of these people wore but whatever. She tried pointing most of them as we walked towards the rink. You'd be surprise how incredibly fast that girl talks. Then we all made our way onto the ice so the rest of the Ducks could stare at us newbies. Tibbles -who I'm starting to think is a closet homosexual if not incredibly metro sexual- introduced us individually. First it was Luis Mendoza, number 22. He kind of busted his ass against the glass…ouch. Next is Dwayne Robertson, number 7 from Texas. This kid quite literally scares me and he has got the biggest ears I've ever seen.

Ugh…_"There's Julie 'the Cat' Gaffney. She won the state championship for Maine three years in a row."_ Way to make me sound like the fucking cure for cancer, Tibbles. Connie took three shots at me and I caught them no problem. I heard Bombay say I was going to be backup. He really doesn't know what he is missing by making me number 2 but whatever; at least I'm here, competing. Ken Wu came along spinning like a top over the ice. Then Dean-: pang in stomach: came onto the ice singing "Everything's On Fire" by the Bone Club. Oh god, he has a tattoo: a skull with hockey sticks. How incredibly _hott_ was that? Not that I was looking…much. On his way towards me he steadily knocked everyone in a green ducks jersey on their asses.

"Here ya go, sweetie!" I managed to catch the black hockey stick before it collided with my face but exactly what the fuck was that?

**_End POV_((a/n-for editing purposes cause I like being in Julie's head but not all the time))**

Complete and utter hell breaks loose. Everyone on the Ducks who has similar positions to the newer players started arguing. Golburg starts yelling at Julie. (_Hey, hey. You call yourself the cat…) _Dwayne, Adam and Jesse arguing; Connie and Ken; Mendoza, Guy and Charlie; Fulton and Dean…complete and utter chaos.

_Whistle Blows_

"Everybody FREEZE!" An amazing calm sweeps over the teenagers. "Now we didn't come here to fight! We came here to play hockey. We're Team USA. You represent your country—"

"That's right!" Don piped in.

"Now I want you—"

"To be all that you can be, right? Ya gotta raise yourself up, guys. Ya got—"

Everyone laughs thinking…what a complete and utter asshole.

"All right, now. Let's start with the scrimmage.—"

"Great! Scrimmage!" Don blows his mini whistle. "You heard your coach…Hey. You don't need me here. I've got an appointment anyway. I've gotta see Mrs. MacKay. She's the team tutor."

"Don? Come on. You'll get it back at the end of the school term. All right, Ducks. Show 'em what ya got. Let's scrimmage!" Bombay blows his whistle again and Jesse and Dwayne take the face off.

**((Okay so I am basically quoting the movie at this point and that's bugging me so I'll stop. But I'm still following along with the events. And back into a Julie POV cause I like them.))**

_**Julie's POV**_

I'm goalie for what I like to call the Newbie Team. Ducks plus Newbie equals Team USA, but it always sucks to be new. Honestly these kids have been together for years with Bombay. And some of them are really good. Banks started toward me with a triple deke and Jesse right behind him. Crap.

"Let's go defense!" Oh look who comes to the rescue the minute I say that. Dean comes over and flips Adam over his shoulder. Jesse takes a glove shot, haha big mistake. Crap, here comes Adam again, he's a really good skater. Damn, he scored. Blah, blah, blah and crap over on Golburg's end. Everyone starts screaming when Fulton Reed gets the puck. Um, what fresh hell now? My answer is given to me in the form of an 80mph puck flying toward the goal. Thanks to god it ricochets off the crossbar…to the ceiling and…into Don Tibbles' smug face. More chaos after that. The team gathers in the benches. Connie runs to get an icepack while the rest of the boys hoist an unconscious Don onto the bench. We all gathered around to watch an enormous lump form on the top of our sponsor's head. I was assigned to hold the icepack on his head. We he finally woke up he was more than a little delirious.

"I'm Michelle MacKay, their tutor." Disgruntled moans escape from the mouths around me. Charlie and Ken behind me moaning complaints and Connie and Guy next me start mumbling angrily. I had to agree. This was summer, what the hell did we need a tutor for? The entire team seeming to agree because everyone was now voicing their complaints. From somewhere on my left I heard Dean's voice.

"I don't need no school." Haha, no kidding. What was he like 18? Not that I care…much. The matter resolved itself…we have to go to tutoring, everyday, 3 hours a day, or we don't play. They finally let us shower and go back to the hotel. Next practice would be tomorrow, 8 a.m. What freaking joy. **((a/n: actually I think these two practices- the one I just described- and the one where they are all tied together are actually in the same day but I needed to break them up for an event you'll see in a minute.))**

I got to the van first and sat in the very back. So tired and in desperate need of a hot bath. Dean came in and for some ungodly reason sat next to me. Stop tempting me, damnit. Not here for boys, here for competition and no matter what you do or say—oh my giddy god he smells so nice. That cologne is heaven on freaking earth.

"Hey." He said sitting down. "You're really good. I guess I shouldn't have underestimated you." Asshole…

"Why because I'm a girl?"

"No because you're from Maine." He took his cassette player out of his bag and put the headphones around his neck. I'm not sure if he was joking or not. And I didn't want to make it completely obvious that I was ferociously into him. Breathe, look out the window. Once everyone was sitting we started driving. Somewhere along the road we hit a small speed bump and my knee collided with Dean's. My bare skin tingled where it touched him and I just focused all my thoughts on making my heartbeat calm the hell down. It didn't calm down till I was all the way on my bed in my room on the tenth floor of the Minneapolis Liberty Hotel. The phone on the beside table rang, loud and annoyingly.

"Hello?"

"Hey Leelee."

"Oh, hey Dad." Yes he calls me Leelee. Like Ju_lie_. I don't know it started when I was five and has been that way ever since. Besides its better than Julie, such a common, Blegh name. He also calls me Cat, but whatever.

"How are you, honey? How was your first practice?"

"Oh it was great. I'm just really tired and I haven't even showered yet. Can I call you back when I'm done, Dad?"

"Yeah sure, hon. Just curious, I assume you met an Adam Banks." I remember vaguely him scoring and knocking me on my ass, yes.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well his father, Phillip and I have done some business together. He comes from a really nice family. You should try and become friendly with him. " Psht, a.k.a. get married and have a bunch of rich little blonde children with him.

"Okay, Dad. I'll be friends with him."

"Okay, call me later."

"Yup."

"Love you."

"Bye, Dad."

I let the receiver hit the desk and I collapsed on the bed again. Did my father know everyone? Jeez…


	3. Goodbye Taylors Falls

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes on this page are directly from the movie, so no I don't own those either. I do however own the historical backgrounds on the characters. ))_**

**((a/n: I have no idea what to put in here so I'm just gonna fast forward to the next practice.))**

_**Dean's POV**_

This is ridiculous. How is tying up thirteen teenagers gonna do any good?

"I don't know how to make this any clearer. You are a team. And to win this thing, you have to work as one. Now as one, skate."

A full twenty minutes later, we're finally able to "move as one." This is possibly the stupidest training exercise ever. I take that back. We're now being chased by a cowboy on skates who is trying to fucking corral us. Three hours of practice and then a photo shoot for our sponsors. Finally we're allowed to leave. Only to come back in two hours for lunch and some surprise from Tibbles. Fantastic. Why bother even going back to the hotel. Taking a hot shower in the locker room. Borrowed Fulton's clothes and its already time to meet in the cafeteria. What could this big surprise possibly be?

"Ta-Da!" Wow, Tibbles, you're officially the biggest fag I know. A Wheaties box bigger than me and Fulton combined sitting in the front of the room. With the exact picture we took three hours ago, wearing all red, white and blue. I look really messed up in that picture. Probably because I felt really messed up in that picture. Wait let me pretend to be excited about this…no, can't. Well at least we get new jerseys. Getting my jersey out of the box and I accidentally bump into Julie. I like when she wears her hair down. And I can't help but laugh because Charlie's shirt is way too big for her and she looks so funny trying to find her jersey. Whatever. I'm not her type anyway. Rumors are already flying about her and Banks. Classic rich kid scenario. Thank god we're heading to L.A. in just three more days. Along with jerseys we get work out gear and clothes. All red, white and blue and big letters spelling out U.S.A. And tomorrow after practice is our first tutoring session with Miss MacKay. Still don't know why we need tutoring anyway but whatever.

**End POV**

_**Julie's POV**_

_((The next day, after practice and before tutoring))_

Showered and changed. The whole team is about to go sit by the lake and have class. We all have to wear our "swishy" outfits as I call them. You know the windbreaker material. What? It makes a swishing sound when you walk in them. Not really looking forward to that. Being with the team right now is like being subject to rumors and stares. God forbid I speak to Adam because apparently we're expecting out first child any day now. Everyone thinks there is something going on between us because I went to his house for dinner last night, at the request of my father. I love how quickly rumors spread on this team. I quickly put my hair up in a ponytail and grabbed a purple button-down shirt from my locker. I'm looking for Charlie to return the shirt he let me borrow yesterday. Maybe he is in the locker room.

**End POV ((this is so hard to write in POV so just bear with me))**

Julie entered the locker room and directly in front of her is Dean, shirtless.

"_Oh my god." _ Julie thinks. He hadn't noticed her yet because he had been in the middle of taking off his practice shirt. As soon it was off he noticed Julie standing there staring at him.

"Hey. Um sorry, I was just looking for Charlie. I have to give this back to him." Julie said nervously holding up the shirt.

"I'm the only one in here."

"I see that. Sorry I bothered you."

"Don't sweat it." He said turning his back to her and grabbing the cut off shirt he was about to put on. Julie couldn't avert her eyes. Instead of leaving, she sat down on the stool that was two feet in front of her. She put her bag next to her.

"So, how much do you work out?" Dean had just pulled the shirt over his head.

"What?"

"I mean you're like really built. It must have been a lot of work."

"Yeah well when I want something I don't give up." Julie nodded and bit the side of her lip like she always did when she was nervous. Just then Bombay came by.

"Be outside in ten minutes guys."

"Okay, Coach." Dean started rummaging through his bag. He couldn't resist the opportunity to ask about Adam. "So what's going on between you and Banks?"

Julie sighed. "What do _you_ think is going on?" She said a little bitterly. "What's the latest you heard?"

"Something like you two are getting married the minute you turn eighteen. But I don't buy it."

"Good because none of it is true. Me and Adam just met. We're just friends if anything. I went over his house because our fathers know each other."

"So you don't really like him?"

"No. Friends."

"Oh."

"C'mon, Dean. Don't tell me you bought that crap."

"I wasn't sure. I mean he does sort of look like your type."

"Oh, and what type is that?"

"Jock, blonde, trust fund kid." She laughed a little.

"It's not like at all. For either of us. That's what our parents want. My type happens to be the exact opposite."

"Oh really?" Dean sat down on the stool opposite her.

"Yeah really. I mean I guess I sort of like jocks. But that's because I like sports anyway. And I don't really like blondes all that much. I don't even like my own hair being blonde. Its such a stereotype."

"You're way different then I thought you were gonna be." She smiled. From outside the locker room they heard Bombay again. "Let's go!" Julie got up from her chair and grabbed her bag. Just as she walking out, Dean stopped her.

"Julie."

"Yeah?" He caught up with her by the door.

"Put your hair down."

"Why?"

"You may not like your hair, but I do." Then he stepped ahead of her and went outside. Julie smiled to herself and pulled the elastic band out of her hair.

-

Outside Dean was seated with his back against an upturned canoe. Julie was about to sit next to Connie when Dean motioned her over. She sat next to Dean on top of the canoe and was surprised at how she wasn't nervous around him anymore.

"Ancient Greece was the beginning of Western Civilization. See in Greece they didn't have professional sports, or Wheaties boxes. So the athletes competed for another reason. Anybody?"

"Falafels?" Golburg suggested. Everyone laughed.

"Oh, Greg."

"You wish, Golburg." Connie said sarcastically. Charlie raised his hand.

"Charlie?" Miss MacKay said with a smile.

"Pride."

"That's right. The various city-states waved their flags and wore their home colors proudly."

"Did America always dominate?" Fulton asked.

"Fulton…" Jesse complained.

"That's a good question!" Dean piped up. Julie smiled. How did she guess that Dean and Fulton would be best friends by day two.

"No, America wasn't around back then. Don't forget that compared to other countries, America is still young, still forming its own identity. America is a teenager. Just like you."

"Like us?"

"You bet. A little awkward at times but always right there on the verge of greatness."

The rest of class went on pretty much the same way. Once they had been sitting in the hot sun for three hours Bombay came along in a golf cart. He told the whole team to grab their gear and that this was the last part of training before we leave to L.A. tomorrow.

Skating along a private road adjacent to Adam's property they team sang loud and proud.

"I don't know but I been told, Team USA's gonna win the gold. Listen up and listen good. We're all headed for Hollywood. Sound off: 1,2. Sound off: 3,4. Bring 'em on down: one, two, THREE, FOUR."

And so it was. The next day at five o'clock in the morning, Team USA boarded a plane heading to Los Angeles, California.


	4. LA, Trinidad and Dimples

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes on this page are directly from the movie, so no I don't own those either. I do however own the historical backgrounds on the characters. ))  
_((a/n: I got my computer back and I'm off punishment! Woot, woot! Thanks so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate it. I'll update soon and move Julie/Dean forward. Hope you like this chapter and look out for some a/n with info you probably didn't know. 0x0x))**

**_  
Dean's POV_**

The dorms are insane. It's an eight floor building full of hormonal teenagers. Are they out of their freaking minds? But its only 10 minutes to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where most of the games are taking place. It's gonna be pretty insane. Me and Fulton are in the same dorm. It's insanely small, it's our two twin sized beds and one small closet. I came through the small door with a big box in my arms. Fulton was hanging a Nirvana poster on the wall between the two beds.

"Fult, check this out." I put the box down on the bedside table and pulled out the stereo inside.

"Oh sick, dude. Who was the stupid ass that put us in the same dorm?"

"I dunno but they're about to regret it." Once I was done I plopped myself down on the bed farthest from the door. I leaned my back against the uncomfortable headboard and shut my eyes. I was so tired. The flight to L.A. was at 7am. So that means we had to get to the airport by 5:30. That means we woke up around 4. It was only around 1 in the afternoon and we only had 2 hours to get unpacked before we had a press conference. Our first game is tomorrow and I wanna say it's against Italy but I'm so tired I don't remember. Fulton threw a pillow at me that I put behind my head. I leaned back and closed my eyes.

"So you're sweet on Julie, huh?" I opened my eyes and looked over at him. He sat down on his own bed and was staring at me waiting for my answer.

"What are you talking about?" Coach Bombay knocked on the door.

"Hey guys. Fult can you come out here a sec so we can talk?" Fulton got off the bed and eyed Dean.

"Oh you know exactly what I'm talking about." Then he left the room.

What is going on between us? Nothing serious. I mean yeah, maybe I do like her but whatever, she's my teammate. And I guess you could say we flirt sometimes. Why was everyone blowing things out of proportion? Besides I'm still not convinced that her and Banks don't have something going on. And if there was something going on between us, it's our business, what's the big deal? Fulton came back into the room and resumed his place on the bed. "What did Bombay want?"

"Don't change the subject, Portman."

"Okay, why don't you tell me exactly what you want to hear?"

"You and Julie."

"What about us?"

"Are you guys just friends or what?"

"We're friends. And so what if there was more? What is the big deal?"

"The big deal is that you're Dean Portman and she's Julie Gaffney."

"So?"

"So you're older than her, you're way more experienced than her; you bash people for a living, you have a tattoo, and all you care about is hockey and partying."

"You forgot music." I joked.

"And she's…younger, less experienced, rich, petite goalie with a nice family and pretty much everything you're not."

"Point?"

"The point is that if you two did get together, you'd pretty much have the entire universe out to break you up. I just wanted to warn you, as a friend, to not get so serious with her."

"And what if I want to be serious with her?" Fulton raised his eyebrows.

"How do you even know she wants to?" Well that I couldn't answer. I could usually sense it when a girl was into me. But Julie was different. There are days when I swear she is flirting with me and others when I have no idea what s going on in her head. I have no clue what's gonna happen between me and her but I'm looking forward to finding out.

**End POV**

_Welcome to Los Angeles, California, and the Junior Goodwill Games as teams from around the world arrive to compete in both winter and summer events. The U.S.A. is expected to score well in the medal count especially in basketball, swimming and hockey. And there's Team U.S.A. hockey led by Coach Gordon Bombay. They're looking fit and anxious to begin the competition.  
_**((Just so you know where we are.))**

THE GAME AGAINST TRINIDAD  
_"Tonight's game matches the second-seeded Team U.S.A. against the tenth-seeded team, Trinidad Tobago. This marks the first game for Team U.S.A in this double-elimination, winner-take-all tournament. Gordon Bombay looks to have his team well in control here. They lead six to nothing."_  
**((a/n: If you watch the movie the announcer guy does say six to nothing but the scoreboard says seven to nothing. It's a well-known blooper. But during the game U.S.A. scores 3 times and the final score is 9-2. The scoreboard is actually wrong and the announcer was right.))**

**_Julie's POV  
_** So basically this is a double elimination, winner takes all tournament. The teams competing are Iceland, Germany, U.S.A., Italy, Trinidad, Russia, Canada, France, Denmark and Sweden. Italy, Trinidad and Sweden have already lost one game. Our game tonight is against Trinidad and if we win, they are out of the tournament.  
Out on the ice are Adam, Connie, Dwayne, Charlie, Ken and Dean. Golburg is goalie, so that means I'm sitting on the bench cheering for my team. Not that I mind but being backup as Bombay so lovingly put it, definitely sucks. Oh right the game. Connie steals the puck, passes to Adam who passes to Dwayne who passes to Charlie who fakes and Connie scores. Adam comes in and Jesse goes out. That makes the score seven to zip. Jesse steals the puck, ouch gets hooked pretty badly and…gets a penalty. At least things aren't completely boring. Since yesterday's practice Dean and Fulton have been referring to themselves as the "Bash Brothers" and I can't help but agree as I watch them play. They are definitely the enforcers on our team. They skate over the ice steadily knocking every Trinidad player down, Fulton passes to Dean who scores. The crowd goes wild. I guess they like Dean as much as I do…shut up brain. Not sure what really happened but Trinidad just scored. There goes the shutout. Connie has the puck, passes to Ken who wraps around the net and scores. At some point after that Trinidad scored again but whatever, it was all over. The final score was 9-2. I'm trying really hard to celebrate with the rest of my team but I didn't do anything. Connie played a really good game; she scored two of the game points. And she's my roommate so I'm gonna have to deal with her tonight.

"All right, way to go! That wasn't a game that was a statement."  
That's right, put a big happy smile on my face as we head back to the locker room.

Once we were all changed the whole team decided to hang out at a pizzeria down the street. Great so now I have to pretend to be happy and listen to crap with my own team. Rumors about me and Adam haven't yet completely died down yet and new ones about me and Dean are starting. I grab the red, white and blue Team U.S.A. bag and start walking in the opposite direction than the team. I went back into the now empty hockey rink and sat in the same place on the bench.  
"Hey." I turned around quickly to see Dean standing there. "What are you doing in here? Why didn't you go for pizza with everyone?"  
"Why didn't you?"  
"Didn't feel up to it." He sat down next to me and I smelled that perfect cologne he wears again. "So what's going on?"  
"Nothing."  
"You sitting on the bench of an empty hockey rink don't look like nothing. C'mon talk to me." He said playfully nudging me with his shoulder.  
"You're happy right? I mean with the game and how it went. We did well and you played a great game."  
"Well I had hoped we could keep a shutout on those guys but winning by seven is still pretty awesome. So yeah I guess I'm happy with it. Why?"  
"I'm not happy with it. Yeah we won and that's great. But I didn't play, never once did my ass leave the bench. And I get that Golburg is starting. But it doesn't make it suck any less that I did nothing to contribute to the game. That's why I'm having such a hard time celebrating."  
"That does suck. But Jul, you can't focus on the bad. You did amazing in practice this morning. You just gotta wait it out and eventually you will get your shot. Bombay knows what he's doing."  
"Yeah I know. I guess you're right."  
"Of course I am!" He joked and smiled widely. I smiled back. Then I noticed he has a dimple dead in the middle of his cheek.

Tomorrow was another Press Conference, another sponsored Photo Shoot and a game against Italy.

…


	5. You ain't see nothin' yet

_**((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes on this page are directly from the movie, so no I don't own those either.)) **_

**((a/n: I take back what I said about the following press conference and the game against Italy being on the same day. In between the two are the dorm scenes.))**

**_Julie's POV  
_**"Ladies and Gentlemen, Team U.S.A. hockey. And the man, chosen to lead them to the gold, Coach Gordon Bombay."  
The entire team stood on a small podium with coach and apparently Henry the Hendrix Bear. I hate these press conference things. Can I have your autograph, Ms. Gaffney? What for, I still haven't played. Pictures, pictures and more crap pictures for various cereals, newspapers and commercials. Yada, yada and crap, crap. I guess you could say I'm still bitter about not playing. Smile, wave, smile.  
"Team U.S.A. how does it feel to be competing on an international level here in Los Angeles?" Um it doesn't feel like anything because I happen to not be COMPETING! Don gave me a stern look from the crowd. I must've stopped smiling. Happy face!  
"We love it! It's great." My face hurts and I'm irritated.  
"Coach Bombay, the Vikings from Iceland are the heavy favorite. Their coach has already guaranteed victory. How are you gonna handle them?"  
"Um…hard work. I think our team is ready to go up against the best in the world. We're not worried about 'em. Iceland may be tough, but, uh…we're Team U.S.A. and we're goin' all the way!" And the prize goes to Gordon Bombay for laying it on so very, very thick. Not much could make this moment worse for me.  
"Team U.S.A is going down. That's where you're going. See you on the ice, Bombay." Except that. What an asshole. He looks vaguely familiar. Charlie, Ken and I lagged behind Bombay and Tibbles and heard them talking.  
"That's, uh, Stansson. Coach of the Iceland team. He's wound a little tight."  
"Stansson from the N.H.L.? Wolff "The Dentist" Stansson is coaching? You didn't tell me that." The two of them walked off the podium deep in conversation. The team filled out behind us. I knew I knew that name. I had seen that guy play before. That must be Team Iceland he coaches.  
"That guy's a dentist?" Ken asked innocently.  
"That was his nickname. Played one year of pro. Collected more teeth than goals. He even punched out his own coach." Charlie answered.  
"I heard they ran him out of the league and the country."  
"That's his team? Those guys are huge!" Umm, yeah they were. They had an entire team full of guys just as big as or bigger than Dean and Fulton.

((a/n: I take back what I said about the following press conference and the game against Italy being on the same day. In between the two are the dorm scenes.)) 

DORMS   
**((This is the part in the movie where you see Golburg, Luis and Ken play the prank on Dwaynethen Dean and Fulton in their dorm.-YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING YET! lol Love that song.AnywayI just switched it to Julie POV this time.))**  
**_Julie POV_**  
The dorm Connie and I share is the smallest I've seen. There is hardly room for us to walk between the door and two beds. Curfew was 10:30, which sucks and there are even hall monitors. But that didn't stop people from leaving, like Connie. Every night around 10 she sneaks off to the third floor. Somehow, Guy got himself a single dorm and Connie hangs out with him until around 3 in the morning. It was nearly 11 at night and I had just taken a shower. I came into the small room wearing a robe and Connie sat on the bed listening to my Discman. She took the headphones off when she saw me.  
"Hey. Not going to Guy's tonight?"  
"I think Bombay figured out what we've been doing cause he made Adam room with Guy from now on."  
"That sucks." I pulled the towel from my wet hair and sat on my bed.  
"I'm sorry, Julie."  
"About what?"  
"As the only girl you have to talk to, I have failed. I have been sneaking off to be with my boyfriend every night and we haven't gossiped lately. As the senior girl resident I need to teach you my ways. So come and speak, tadpole." I laughed. Only Connie would come up with something like that. "I'm fine Connie." I said grabbing my hairbrush off the bedside table.  
"Not according to the rumors I've been hearing." I run the brush through my dirty blonde hair.  
"Oh?" I ask interested.  
"Indeed." Connie put on a fake, horrible accent. "As I hear it you are quite the vixen. Apparently you have Adam, Dean, Fulton and Charlie all eating out of the palm of your hand. And you've yet to decide who you want most but the obvious choice would be Adam. Though personally I'd go for Luis but, okay." I laughed again and so did she. "But no joke, what's with you and the Bash Brother?"  
"What'd you mean?"  
"How do I put this? Do you wanna snuggle up inside his leather jacket or don't you?" I get up and pull on my pajama pants.  
"Wow, way to be blunt about it, Connie." She raised her eyebrows asking for my answer. "Well, I dunno. I mean, yeah I guess I am—"  
"Amazingly into him?" I pull off the robe and sit back down.  
"Is it that obvious?"  
"No, but I totally see it. Dean is such a hottie. But he could be…dangerous."  
"Yeah…but."  
"That's part of the attraction isn't it? I see, you like the bad boys. But honestly tell me you don't so see yourself with Banks."  
"Adam is a great guy and my parents would love him. But having Adam is like taking the easy way out. And it what everyone wants and thinks I'll do. So I do the opposite."  
"So this isn't the first time with guys like Dean is it, rebel?"  
"No. And some of those guys are dangerous and bad influences. Dean is different. He's perfect."  
"You don't think Dean would be a bad influence?"  
"He can't be worse than the guy who gave me my tattoo."  
"What? You have a tattoo and I don't know about it?" I stood putting my back to her and lifted my tank top slightly. There in the small of my back, right in my waistline was the number six.  
"I officially hate you. So what are you gonna do about Dean?"  
"I have no idea."  
"I think you should make the first move because boys are literally that stupid."  
**End POV **  
**((That was so cheesy I might have to get some crackers. Ritz bits baby! Lol))**

GAME AGAINST ITALY  
_It's been all Team U.S.A. tonight. They lead Italy six to nothing. They've really dominated this game. Italy with the puck across the line. D'Agistino shoots, glove save by Golburg._  
Once again Team U.S.A. was skating well, scoring and knocking people flat on their asses. One second left in the third period, Fulton takes his shot and the final score is 11-0. They move to 2-0.

After the game and after tutoring the Team is allowed to walk through the city. So everyone splits up and goes roaming around Los Angeles.  
**((This is the part in the movie where you see Golburg, Averman, Jesse and Dwayne going around Beverly Hills. Not much happens right now and I'm really just doing a transition into the scene I really wanna get to.))**  
Everyone wasn't allowed to leave the dorm unless you went in groups of four. So Julie, Connie, Guy and Charlie all went out together. Julie couldn't help but feel like the third wheel, even with Charlie there. All she could think about was how miserable she felt about not being able to play. Two games felt like an eternity and the pressure from her father wasn't helping. Then along with thinking about her situation with Dean and being really homesick she was starting to crack and people were starting to notice. But every time they had a game Julie would get really quiet and reserved. After they did a little shopping the foursome went into a café to have some coffee.  
"Earth to Julie!" Charlie said waving the cappuccino in front of her face. He sat down across from her. She took the cup from him and had a sip.  
"Sorry, Charlie. I'm just really out of it today."  
"You've been like this a lot lately. What's up?" He asked concerned.  
"Nothing. I just have way too much on my mind. I feel like homesick, angry, frustrated, sad and confused all at the same time and its wearing me down."  
"Why?"  
"I miss my Dad and my brother. I miss my old team. So all of that is making me sad and homesick. Then I'm confused about how I feel and what's going on in my head. And I'm frustrated and mad because my Dad is putting all this pressure on me but I'm not even playing. And every game that I don't play I feel like another weight is put on me. It sucks."  
"You should talk to Gordon."  
"Coach has enough to deal with."  
"No way. The team is always first. Seriously go talk to him. On our way back to the dorms we're gonna pass his office. I'll go in with you."  
"Fine." Connie and Guy had finally come back with their own coffees and pastries. They were killing her with cuteness. "Let's go, Charlie."  
"Okay. We're going back to the dorm. We'll catch up with you guys later."  
It took Charlie and Julie twenty minutes to walk to the Coliseum.  
"Go I'll wait out here." Julie went through the offices to the very last one. She some Coach Bombay in his office on the phone. She looked away uncertainly but  
Charlie saw her and motioned for her to knock. So she knocked on the window and Bombay turned around.  
"Yeah, come on in…Sure with a pump that'll work. Go ahead, sit down. We'll talk about it at dinner. Okay. Bye." He sits down and sighs.  
"What's up?"  
"I wanna play, when am I gonna get my chance?"  
"Julie, Golburg's on a hot streak. I gotta stick with him as long as we're winning."  
"I understand. But I left my team in Maine to show the world what I can do." _Wow,_ she thought to herself _that sounded way better in my head. _  
"Just give it time. You will show the world. I promise. Okay?" She nodded. "All right. Now get outta here."  
…  
The next day was the game against Iceland. Practice went extremely well even though Bombay didn't even show up. But everyone felt really good about this game. After all they were 2 and 0. Even Julie had calmed down a bit after talking to Coach and then she called her father. So now that all of that had been solved, the only other big thing on her mind was Dean. The whole day he had been really sullen and sensitive especially if you mentioned Coach.  
...  
**((I know this chapter is kind of boring but I just wanted you guys to see Julie going to talk to Bombay. Next chapter is the game against Iceland and it's huge. The shit's about to hit the fan and you're gonna wanna see it. The more reviews the quicker I post. :-P))**


	6. Prepare for Hell, guys

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes on this page are directly from the movie, so no I don't own those either.)) _**

**((Here is the humungo chapter I promised. Actually it's just as long as the others have been but so much happens because it's the Iceland game. Now what I said about Dean being really pissed the day of this game was in the last chapter. You have to remember that on the day everyone went around L.A., Fulton and Dean saw Bombay with the "Iceland Chick" and they're pissed about it. I'm picking it up in the locker room.))  
**GAME AGAINST ICELAND (1)  
_**Dean's POV  
**_In the locker room before warm-ups. I've decided that coach is an asshole and a liar. Fulton wants to give him the benefit of the doubt but I think its still crap that he's busy hooking up with trainers while we working our asses off at practices. _  
_Bombay strutted into the locker room with his hair slicked back wearing a designer suit. Fulton and I were gonna talk to him and see if he'd own up. _  
_"All right, are we ready for warm-ups?" Cheers echoed throughout the locker room from the team. "Let's go!"  
I looked over at Fulton and he nodded then we approached Coach together.  
"Good night last night, Coach?"  
"Yeah, it was fine." He was not getting off that easy.  
"What'd ya do?" I asked while adjusting the straps on my gloves.  
"Oh, I…just watched some TV, got to bed early." Liar…  
"But not without a little dessert, right?" He turned toward me surprised and a little scared. I backed away smiling and nodding.  
_Hi, everybody. Welcome to today's game. This is a very important match up, Team U.S.A. against Iceland in what could be a preview of the championship game. Iceland coached by Wolf "The Dentist" Stansson. He'll be taking on Gordon Bombay._  
Jesse is taking the face-off against a guy twice his size. Screw this, I run over and block him. I didn't hear anything anyone said to me at that point. I'm so pissed off at Coach and this team.  
"Come on, fool! Get up!"  
"You ran at him unprovoked."  
"Huh?" I turned around quickly and the ref fell over.  
"Calm down, son. You're out of the game."  
"Give me a break!" Another ref grabs my shoulder and starts pulling me toward the locker room doors. I pull off my helmet. You've got to fucking be joking. I punch open the door.  
"Oh man." I storm angrily into the empty locker room. A small TV in the front is on and showing the game. WHAT THE FUCK? The guy I just knocked over seems to have healed perfectly fine because he just scored. These guys are huge and really fast. They need me out there. This is ridiculous. "Pass it Dwayne, the idiot is right behind you!" I yell at the TV like it could hear me. "I can't believe this is happening." I pull the towel off my neck and throw it on the floor. "I should be out there!" Where is the goddamn penalty? These guys are charging and checking us like nothing. They practically broke Ken in half. "Please give me one more chance to get those guys!" I pull the stool in front of my and break it over my knee. We cannot lose this game. It the third period and we're 4-0. "PICK IT UP, DEFENSE!" I yelled at the small television. Make that 5-0. He's putting Julie in. Maybe we can still catch up.  
End POV

_**Julie's POV**  
_"You're off, Golburg." Coach nods to me so I grab my helmet and step onto the ice. We're still in time-out. _  
_"Hey, good luck, goalie. You're gonna need it."_  
_"Thanks, Golburg." I skate over to the net putting my gloves and stick on top. Then I hear skates behind me. _  
_"Sending in a woman to do a man's job." I pull off my helmet and grabbed the stick from the net. _  
_"Don't break a nail. HAHAA." Wow that's so funny, not. I turn around to see the two leading players from Iceland. _  
_"I'm sorry, boys, but can you help me with my pads, please?"_  
_"Yeah." I push the stick forward giving them both a good, hard hit in the groin.  
"Oof." The guy farthest to my left falls so far back he falls into the ref's feet._  
_"That's intent to injure. You're out of the game. Let's go, young lady." _  
_"See ya around, fellas." I say grabbing my gear and stepping over them. As I pass the bench I see how disappointed the team is and I regret my prank.  
"Thanks for the breather." Golburg tells me as I skate by him. I shouldn't have done that. I walk into the locker room to see Dean punching the table. He didn't even see me until I was directly in front of him. _  
_"Hi." He managed to grunt out. _  
_"I know how you feel." I say very truthfully. My presence seems to calm Dean down a notch. He starts taking off his pads at warp speed. Before I even have my skates off he is pulling on his black jeans. Next thing I know he is fully dressed. I turn toward the TV when I hear the goal siren. Adam had scored. Sandersson then came over and broke his stick over Adam's wrist. _  
_"You should've hit that asshole harder. Now I'm gonna do it." He said racing for the door. _  
_"Dean! Don't!" I yell after him but he is already gone. The camera turns to the penalty box where they are placing Sandersson. Then I see Dean racing down from the bleachers and trying to fight Sandersson through the box. Security runs over and grabs Dean."Holy shit." I say to myself. I pull off my jersey, shoulder and arm pads and thrown them into my locker. Then I sit down on the stool wearing only my leg pads and ITECH shirt. Dean burst back into the locker room. He came over and sat down next to me. _  
_"I hate not being able to do anything."_  
_"That's how I feel every game." After some silence Iceland scores again. _  
_"Coach is a dick."_  
_"Why?" This had to be why he was so out of it today. _  
_"Last night Fulton and me were hanging out down on Main Street. And out of the Ice Cream Parlor walks Bombay hand in hand with the Iceland Trainer."_  
_The siren whaled and Iceland scored again. Last period, the last three seconds, Charlie misses his shot. But it wouldn't have made a difference because they were up by…11. The rest of the team filled into the locker room. I stayed sitting down, Golburg and Connie sat behind me. Dean went to the back to talk to Fulton. Charlie sat down across the table from me. _  
_"Prepare for hell guys." He said hoarsely. Bombay stormed in. He halted in the middle of the room staring at us. Then he started pacing. _  
_"Twelve to one." He said simply. "TWELVE TO ONE. You know what word comes to mind when you think of that? Hmm? PATHETIC! You guys were brought here to play hockey."_  
_"What about you?"_  
_"What about me Jesse?" Okay I couldn't hold this in anymore. _  
_"Coach Stansson knew everything about us! They were ready for us!"_  
_"Yeah and you spend all your time driving around in convertibles and talking to all those sponsor fools."_  
_"Or hanging with the Iceland lady!" Fulton added. He was extremely pissed. "We saw you two Saturday night."_  
_"Eating ice-cream with the enemy, huh, Coach?" I turned around and looked at Dean. He nodded to me. I thought he was joking. _  
_"What?"_  
_"Are you kidding me?"_  
_"What are you talking about?" Everyone turned to Coach angry and betrayed.  
"Hey! Hey, what I do is _none_ of your business. Is that clear?" Everyone sighed and started taking off their pads. "Don't take those pads off. Everyone stay in your gear. We have practice."_  
_"Tonight?" Golburg asked in disbelief._  
_Practice was a nightmare. Look at this timeline. The game ended at 11 o'clock at night. We got let out of practice around 2 in the morning. I'm gonna give the rough estimate of about 90000000 sprints and laps. And we have class tomorrow morning at 7. Connie had gone to the dorm ahead of me before I finished changing. Charlie made Dean walk home with me. It was only a ten minute walk from the Coliseum to our dorms but Charlie is like a protective brother.  
"He's out of his fucking mind." I said more to myself than anyone else.  
"I told you he was a dick." Dean said groggily. Once we were at my door Dean leaned against the wall. "Hey, Jul. Don't be pissed off about not being able to play tonight. Those guys needed a good shot to the nuts. And seeing as how it's Bombay's decision not to put you in, well we don't care what he says at this point, right?" I laughed a little.  
"Right. Thanks for walking me back." Dean came towards me and gave me a quick hug. I don't know what made me do it because my full intent was to hug him and then go inside. Instead of drawing away I put my arms around his neck and kissed him. As if the moment wasn't weird enough, instead of being surprised or drawing back he put his hands on my waist and pulled me closer. It took two full minutes for me to realize what I was doing and I pulled away from him. "Well, night." I said grabbing my bag and going inside the dorm.  
**End POV  
((it sooo cheesy…i know))**

**_Dean's POV_  
**The door closed behind her and I was still rooted to the spot. Did that really just happen? This has been the weirdest day of my life. I pick up my bag and go down a floor to my dorm. When I open the door Fulton is sitting on the bed fully dressed. I come in, drop my bag, close the door and collapse on my bed.  
"Can you believe him?" Fulton asked angrily. For a minute there I had completely forgotten why I had been so pissed off today. "Portman...Dean? What took you so long to get back anyway?" Umm, I had to walk Julie back and then I kind of kissed her? No way was I gonna say that.  
"I had to walk Julie and Connie back to their dorm." He stared at me. "What?"  
"Julie and Connie? You're sure?" Shit, he knows. No-shut up how could he know.  
"Yeah."  
"You're not a very good liar are you? Tell me what really happened."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"Me, Guy and Dwayne walked Connie back, intelligence." Crap.  
"Okay so it was Julie and Adam. Give it up Fulton. I'm too tired to remember."  
Fulton stared at me very closely. Once it seemed like he had found what he was looking for he laughed out loud. "Not too tired to make out with Julie are you?" Okay either he read my mind or he's a fucking stalker. "Unless you wear lip-gloss and I don't know." I grabbed the small mirror from the bedside table to see what he's talking about. It wasn't much but yes you could definitely see tints of pink, glittery lip-gloss smeared on my lips. I quickly wiped it off and threw the mirror down. Fulton was rolling around on the bed laughing. I took my own pillow and threw it at his face.  
"Shut up, Fulton."

**((haha…wow. I know it's cheesy but that's the way it's gonna be. It took me six chapters but I finally but Julie and Dean together! Yay! Love the reviews- you guys rock.))**


	7. Real Pride, Real USA

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes are from the movie.))_**

**((a/n: I really don't like this chapter. I'm not sure why, maybe it the fluffiness of Julie and Dean's relationship but this is kind of just a follow-through and a way to continue the story. I'm glad you guys liked the earlier chapter. It was really hard to write and get them together. This chapter is gonna be a little longer because I don't know when the next time I can update is. Hopefully soon because I want to finish this story.))**  
((Madmbutterfly713, I totally get what you mean. And I know it's hard to follow and simple. But the reason for a lot of it is that I have nothing to go on but the movies. So all I have are quotes from the movie and dialogue. I will try harder to do more descriptions. Thanks for being honest with me.))

**_Dean's POV  
_**The next morning everyone had to drag themselves to class. Half way through, once Miss MacKay had to wake up Luis for the third time, she asked us what was up. **_  
_**"What is going on here? Did any of you get to sleep last night?"**_  
_**"I believe the right question is did any of us get to sleep this morning and the answer would be no." Golburg answered between yawns. **_  
_**"None of you? Why?"**_  
_**"We had practice with Captain Blood till 2." Averman answered from under his book bag. **_  
_**"Two in the morning? After that game? With Coach Bombay?"**_  
_**"Yupp then we had to walk back to the dorms."**_  
_**"Okay, this is enough. You are all going to go eat a big breakfast then go back to your dorms and sleep. Then you are going to go workout at the center."**_  
_**"We can't. We have noon practice."**_  
_**"I'll talk to your Coach. Go."**_  
_**After eating everyone had some energy, so an hour was devoted to completely bashing Bombay. I caught Julie's eye and nodded towards the door. She nodded and met me out there. I sat down on a small brick wall.  
"Hey."  
"Hi." She said sitting down next to me.  
"So about last night," What about it? What do I say?  
"Technically it was this morning." She said smiling. Honestly, what the hell am I supposed to say now? That it shouldn't have happened for all the reasons I had already heard a million times. She noticed my silence. "Do you regret it?" She asked playfully.  
"I imagined it differently." I said without thinking.  
"You've imagined kissing me?" She said laughing. Did I just say that?  
"No, I meant, just-" She smiled at me.  
"Wow, you suck at lying." She stepped down from the wall and stood in front of me. "So now I'm curious. How did you _imagine_ it?"  
"What are you doing, Julie?"  
"Well right now I'm making fun of you." She said laughing. I stepped down and started to walk away, but Julie grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Show me." For the second time I let her pull me in and kiss me. And it was even better this time. All I could think about was how right it felt. I heard the door open behind me and I pulled away from her.  
"Oh, sorry." Adam said quickly and closed the door. _Shit_, I thought. Julie however didn't seem the least bit embarrassed.  
"What now?"  
"I dunno." I said simply. I didn't.  
"We'll talk later." She gave me a quick peck on the cheek and went back inside.  
It was right then that I realized how tired I was.  
**End POV **  
**((Cheesy, cheesy, cheese, cheesy, cheesy, cheese, cheese)) **

_**Julie's POV  
**_Everyone is pretty much at the end of their ropes right now. The whole team is extremely tired and angry at Coach. But what the hell, we have a game tonight. But between being pissed, exhausted and boiling in the hot sun, it's only a matter of time before people start wigging out. _  
_"And hold, two, three—" Dean was leading our stretches. _  
_"Coach isn't here. Why do we have to be?" Next to me Connie was beat._  
_"We have a game tonight we have to work out."_  
_"I say mutiny, who's with me?"_  
_"Golburg, I'm too tired to mutiny."_  
_"Come on, guys. It's not like we couldn't use the conditioning." I say trying to lighten everyone's mood. _  
_"Speak for yourself, babe."_  
_"Her name is Julie, not _babe_." Adam said from behind me. He's been really defensive toward Dean ever since he saw us outside. _  
_"Don't tell me how to talk, rich boy!" Dean came toward Adam and pushed him. I stood in between them until the entire team joined in. _  
_"Hey, Portman, chill!"_  
_"Hey you want a piece of this?" Is he out of goddamn mind?_  
_Everyone gets in between Fulton and Dean, fully aware that this fight meant nothing and everyone just needed to get some sleep. _  
_"Hey, yo, Team U.S.A., what are you gonna do today, a million jumping jacks?" Everyone turned to look at the source of the noise. Who the hell is that kid?_  
_"This kid's crazier than me. Forget about him. Look, Fulton!" _  
_"Hey, chill!" Jesse pushed his way to the front of the crowd. _  
_"Hey, man, I'm gettin' sick of you!"_  
_"And I'm gettin' sick of seeing the U.S.A. represented by a bunch of whining babies." I look around and I can't exactly argue with him. _  
_"Well too bad you can't back up that mouth."_  
_"Man, me and my boys could take you anytime, anywhere."_  
_"I don't see no boys."_  
_"I got em waiting. Grab your gear and let's go play some schoolyard puck. Or maybe you forgot what it's like to play for real pride. C'mon its not too far you little wimps. C'mon, you comin' or not?"_  
_So we followed him. Two buses and four blocks later we are at a schoolyard face to face with a bunch of kids. _  
_"My little brother, Russ here, has been telling me that you guys have been choking big time."  
"Well you brother's got a bug mouth."_  
_"He does, doesn't he? Well anyways we thought we'd call y'all to see what you got."_  
_"Yeah we know you can talk to the press and sign autographs and stuff."_  
_"We can do more than that."_  
_"Oh yeah? Well we can teach you how to play like the real Team U.S.A."_  
_"And what would you know about it?"_  
_Then the game started. The next four hours we played street hockey with this team. I even played and made a shot. Once the sun started to set we had to start back because we had an 8:30 game against Germany. Dean sat down next to me on the bus.  
"Hey."_  
_"Hey. Interesting afternoon."_  
_"Look, Julie about earlier, I was being an asshole."_  
_"Yeah you were."_  
_"I'm sorry. I was so exhausted and fed up with coach. I'm sorry I went off."_  
_"And you'll apologize to Fulton?"_  
_"I already did."_  
_"And Adam?"_  
_"Oh c'mon."_  
_"Dean you called him 'rich boy'. Are you gonna start calling me 'rich girl'?" I joked. "What was with the babe thing anyway?"_  
_"I really care about you, Julie. I just don't want us having a relationship to mess up anything going on with the team. And that's exactly what happened earlier."_  
_"No, earlier was your temper getting the better of you. The thing with us had nothing to do with it. If you care about me, then you'll apologize to Adam."_  
_"Okay, I will."_  
_"Thank you." I leaned in and kissed him quickly on the lips. For the rest of the ride I fell asleep against his shoulder. He smelled like the same cologne and I love. _  
_((It's fluffy. What I don't like is how easily Dean gives in to her wants. I mean its Dean Portman he shouldn't be such a wimp but I wrote it like that to show you how much he really does care about her.))

GAME AGAINST GERMANY  
We are all standing around the benches talking about the game. We have to win this hands down. Then we all turn around to see Don Tibbles calling us from the stands.  
"Hey team! Hey, team. We're gonna be great today right?" We all just stare at him…what a fruitcake. "Where's Gordon?"  
"You tell us." Luis said pointedly. We hadn't seen him since last night's practice...well this morning but whatever.  
"I don't believe this." He said walking away franticly. The ref skated over to us.  
"Team U.S.A. I'm sorry. But without a coach behind the bench, you'll forfeit the game."  
"But you can't do that." Everyone starts mumbling and this just fuels our anger towards Bombay. But there was no way we could forfeit.  
"We have one." Charlie piped up. "Miss MacKay!" He caught her attention and skated over to her. We assumed he told her what was going on because after the ref went over she stood up.  
"Well, what are you waiting for? The ice to freeze? Let's play!" Wow, she is officially our savior.  
"Let's go." The ref said and he blew the whistle to start the game.  
The game is going pretty well. The score is 2-1 Germany, but these guys are a lot like Iceland in that they are huge and throwing their weight around a lot. But at least Dean is playing this game which he is clearly thrilled about. Miss MacKay has no idea what she is doing but Charlie is helping her along. The announcer's voice boomed across the arena. "We're late in the period with a face off coming up at center ice." His voice is interrupted by what sounds like a duck call. I stand up from my place on the bench and look around. Dean taps my shoulder and points to the upper stands. There is Coach Bombay coming down through the crowd. He has a duck whistle in his mouth and continues blowing it as he makes his way towards the bench. All the players on the ice continue as if he wasn't there while all of us on the bench stand up and sit on the edge of the box waiting for something to happen. Bombay approaches the door and pushes it open. I turn around to look at Dean. The minute our eyes meet we come to the same idea-No way is he asking for forgiveness, now. We all stare at him in a sort of dumb-struck awe while he stands up on the bench and continue to blow the whistle.  
"Come on in. Let's go, come on." He says to the players on the ice. Once everyone was crowded in or around the box he lowered his voice.  
"Team…guys. I was wrong. And I'm sorry. I forgot about the team. And the team is all I have. All I want…is another chance, just one more shot. I'm back, okay? Believe me."  
Umm what do we say to that? As long as he still isn't a complete prick-bag then everything will be just fine, that's what I say. The game continues. It's third period and the score is 2-2. Jesse takes the face off and passes to Guy. Behind our net they come together. The "flying V" is Jesse, Charlie, Guy, Averman and Fulton. It looks really cool when they do that and it keeps the puck well protected. Averman scores making it 3-2 and we win. We're still in the tournament and going strong.  
**((By the way, in case you haven't noticed, I know diddly squat about hockey so forgive me when I describe games. Review and I'll try and update A.S.A.P. x0))**


	8. The Calm Before The Storm

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes are from the movie.)) _**

Everything is back to normal…somewhat. I mean we still have a few more games to win before we can make it to play-offs but everything is going well and Coach is not an ass and yeah, whatever. I'm lying on my bed reading the latest letter from my brother. Connie comes in from her shower and throws her wet towel at me.  
"Thanks a lot, Connie. My brother is getting married." I throw it back at her.  
"Stop dancing around the subject. I want details and like right now."  
"I don't dance." I say laughing. "And I don't know what you mean."  
"Okay go ahead and pretend. But I know what I saw. And you're going to tell me exactly how this happened."  
"Whatever." I say pretending not to be interested. I love teasing her and holding information from her. It makes her squirm not to know the latest gossip.  
"On the bus on our way back to the Coliseum I saw you getting more than a little bit close to Dean Portman. Now I'm going to give you a chance to explain yourself."  
"Connie. Now you know I don't kiss and tell so--"  
"Julie! Come on! I tell you everything that happens with me."  
"I don't ask you to."  
"Fine. Ruin my fun. But just answer me this serious question." She stopped fidgeting and her face got very serious. "Is he…a good kisser? I pulled my pillow off my bed and hit her with it. And the night went on pretty much the same way: Connie asking me some not so subtle questions about Dean followed by a vicious pillow fight.  
**_End POV  
_((Ahhh attack of the cheesiness. Bear with me, please.))**

**_Dean's POV_**  
Bombay sent a memo to everyone's dorm to meet in the courtyard at noon. It was 11 o'clock. I hate waiting for things. I get up from my bed in the dorm. Fulton is lying on his bed reading a magazine. I start towards the door.  
"Where you going?"  
"I can't sit here anymore." I closed the door behind me and went up a floor and knocked on a dorm door.  
"Dean." Julie answered. She came out into the hallway and closed her door behind her. "Hey, what's up?"  
"Hey. Can we talk?"  
"Sure." She looked concerned. "You wanna walk?" I nodded and she led us outside. It was a clear, sunny day. "What's going on, Dean?" Instead of answering I kissed her lightly. "Okay?" I sat down on a bench near us, grabbed her hand and sat her down next to me.  
"I don't want to hurt you, Julie." What the hell am I talking about?  
"Um, thank you?"  
"And I really like you." Umm, what the hell am I suppose to say now…umm.  
"Dean, point."  
"My point is…what the hell are we doing Julie?"  
"What are you talking about?" If I knew I would definitely tell you.  
"I'm just not very good at this?" She raised her eyebrows at me.  
"What? Talking?"  
"No...Like relationships and that sort of thing."  
"Oh, so that's what this is? Dean, chill out. I know what you mean." She laughed  
"What?"  
"You want this is right? Like are we a couple or friends or whatever." Then I laughed. That sounded so stupid out loud. "Well, is that it?"  
"I guess that's what I meant. It just sounds so gay when you say it like that. But yeah, that what I needed to hear. What are we Julie? Are you my girlfriend or are we friends or what the hell?"  
"Do you want me to be your _girlfriend_?"  
"Now you're just making fun of me." I said tickling her.  
"I am not!" She said laughing. "No, seriously. All it is is a commitment. If that's what you want."  
"I do want to. I want to be with you. But I'm a little new to this so you need to walk me through this one."  
"I just have one condition. At least at first, for a little while can we…"  
"Not tell the team?"  
"Exactly."  
"Deal."  
**((This is THE CHEESIEST OF THE CHEESE. Okay I know I keep saying that the Julie/Dean is cheesy. And your thinking shut the hell up, if its so cheesy then why did you write it. Cause that's the way it is. Julie and Dean are so unexpected so it just has to have the mondo cheese. And some things have to be cheesy just to remind you that this is a movie and unfortunately in the movie Julie and Dean didn't actually get together))**  
"Speak of them." She slid over on the bench as half the team came toward us.  
"Hey, guys. What're you doing here?"  
"It 12 o'clock. Bombay's meeting. Scoot over." Golburg said sitting down. The team gathered around us until finally Bombay himself showed up with the huge Hendrix cardboard cutout of himself.  
"I've had a lot of big distractions since I've been here in L.A." He picked up the cutout. "This is a distraction."  
"Nice haircut, Coach." I commented. Everyone laughed.  
"He looks familiar. I know that guy." He lit a match and threw it in.  
"This is a fire in a barrel." Jan handed him the cutout and he put it in. "This is a distraction in a fire in a barrel…Any questions?"  
"Good job, Coach." I started the applause and everyone joins in  
"All right! Whoo!"  
"Alright Team. Now that we're good and rested let's talk about our new practice dynamic. This is not the return of 'Captain Blood' okay? But we've got a lot of work to do. We need to study our opponents and study ourselves. We have to learn from our mistakes. You all have special skills. Now we have to refine them. We need to get back to basics. We're gonna be a lean, mean fighting machine. And no matter what happens, we'll work together to overcome every obstacle. We're gonna work hard and we're gonna succeed. Nothing will bring us down. If we fall, we'll get up and try it again. For the next four days you have no games. This means class tutoring every morning and then daily session training with me and Jan. Then we have a game against Canada. We can do this, guys. Because we're Team U.S.A. and we deserve to win this thing. With that said everybody inside for your first practice. Go!" We all sprinted off the benches and into the locker room.  
"Dean, can you come here a second." I went over to him.  
"Yeah, Coach?"  
"So you and Julie, huh?" What the hell?  
"Yeah." No reason to lie.  
"Wow. Didn't see that one coming." He said laughing. "Don't worry, I was just curious."  
"Okay." That was really weird. "Uh, Coach, could you like not say anything to the team?" He laughed again.  
"Good luck with that." He smiled and walked away.  
**End POV**

**_Julie's POV_**  
The next four days went exactly like Bombay had said. We developed new strategies and training styles. Everyone got back to basic training and working out. Itis practice and the whole teamis going out to celebrate. I just finished changing when Isee Coach coming in from the rink.  
"Coach, can we talk a sec?"  
"Sure, Julie. What's up?"  
"I'm worried about Adam. You've seen it. He can't hold the stick the same way. I think at that last game he got injured but he doesn't want to say anything. He won't talk to anyone but he could really hurt himself."  
"Yeah, I noticed it too. Thanks for telling me, Julie. I'll going talk to him right now."  
"Thanks, Coach."  
"Say hi to Dean for me, will ya?" He said winking. WHAT? I grabbed my bag and followed the rest of the team out of the locker room.  
**((That is in there just as, yet again, a transition because next is the scene with Adam. And your probably thinking it's none of Julie's business but whatever, The next 5 minutes of the movie a bunch of stuff happens really fast so I'm just gonna write the overview and then pick it up with Julie's POV at the last team practice.))**  
We completely slaughtered Canada and Russia beat Iceland so now we're tied. Russ Tyler joined the team since Adam was benched and our team is better than ever. Then we had aone goal victory over Russia thanks to Russ. After that game we met Wayne Gretzky, which was the coolest thing possibly ever.Now we move to the finals to face Iceland again.  
…  
Coach, shouldn't we have our hockey gear on?"  
"Yeah"  
"Guys this is our last team practice, which means--"  
"The return of Captain Blood."  
"No, it means. Let's have some fun."  
"All right!"  
**((Tibbles falling over the benches. HAHAHA! Gets me every time)) **  
Everything is fine until…Iceland skates over. That coach is a serious asshole and the entire team are assholes in training. Gunnar Stahl happens to be a very cute asshole but what can you do.  
"Playtime is over. We have the ice now. You and your little rink rats must leave."  
"We're right here, coach." Oh shut up, Dean you couldn't take all of them.  
"The only thing little was your career in the pros."  
"Gordon, no. Let's go." Oh somebody else has a girlfriend, huh?  
"Well at least I had a shot. I was there."  
"You were a disgrace…All right, team, we're outta here." No way were we moving. This asshole is picking a fight. "Let's go I said, c'mon."  
"You can still move on the ice? Well please, play a little with me. Show me that famous triple deke that your daddy taught you. Or was it that old geezer over there?" He did NOT just go there. We're all secretly thinking that Coach should go kick that guy's ass right now. "Marria" She handed him her stick, that slut.  
"Three bar. First one to hit both posts and the crossbar. Have to take it out past the blue line."  
"I know the game." Oh it was on.  
"Coach, coach, coach,…"  
Stansson gets the first hit, because he's a cheating asshole, but whatever. Then Coach makes his shot. And I thought we made harsh checks but damn. Coach hits his second bar. One more post and he wins. Skating towards the net and Stansson hits him hard in his knee. So he's a violent, manipulative asshole? We all skate over and help him up. All the boys around me are fuming mad, ready to fight.  
"I'm fine. It's all right." He says as we help him up.  
"Get your coach off the ice. We have to practice now." Everyone starts yelling but Coach silences everybody with a wave of his hand.  
"We settle this tomorrow on the ice, for the championship. Let's go."  
Coach, MacKay and Tibbles had planned on taking us out to a restaurant after practice. Dinner was an awkward affair. Everyone was pretty much silent unless they needed something passed. Everyone spoke in whispers. I'm not sure why, we hadn't done anything wrong. It was just a really long night. Everyone just went to their dorms and fell asleep.  
**End POV  
...  
**Connie and Julie's alarm woke them up at 8. The team had to meet at the Coliseum at 9 to get on a bus to drive 35 minutes to the new Arrowhead Pond Arena in Anaheim. Then they have practice, lunch, a press conference and then the final game against Iceland.  
"Connie."  
"Mmmm."  
"Connie, wake up. We have to get up. We have to be at the Coliseum at nine."  
"Screw it."  
Eventually she did get up and by the time they got to the Coliseum and the whole team was already there. Bombay, MacKay and Tibbles came down and the bus came**.  
((Ick, I hate not being in POV, it's harder.))  
**_  
**Julie's POV  
**_I got on the bus first and sat in the very last seat. Dean came and sat next to me again. Leave it to Dean to be the most random guy ever.  
"Has Coach said anything to you? I mean about—us?"  
"Yeah, now that you mention it. Why?"  
"I think the entire team knows, but they just haven't said anything." I looked up and noticed everyone staring at me and Dean. I laughed and could only imagine the rumors circulating through the team. "Well," I said as Dean put his arm around me. "Let's give them something to look at." I smiled and leaned in to kiss him. The whole team burst out cheering and I laughed. I love this team and how stupid they are. Eventually they turned around and the bus started moving. I sat on the outside so Connie and I could talk. Once she was a little busy with Guy, I turned to Dean. I stared at the tattoo on his bicep. "Did it hurt?"  
"Not really."  
"Mine did." He looked at me with his eyes wide. I love seeing reactions from him, they were always so funny.  
"_You_ have a tattoo?"  
"Yeah. What did you think I am that big of goody-goody?"  
"You surprise me everyday." He said simply.  
"You'll never be bored with me." I said laughing and taking his headphones off his neck and putting them over my own ears. He was still staring at me in awe.  
"Can I see it?" Haha I knew that was coming.  
"Hmm no." I said teasing him.  
"I knew you were bullshitting me."  
"Am not!"  
"Then show me." He smirked. He thought I was lying. So I turned around in the seat and pushed up my shirt. "No way!" Then he traced it with his finger and I felt a shock up my back. It tickled so I squirmed and fell into him. He leaned back into the window and wrapped his arms over mine.  
**((Fluff…but whatever. Like the chapter title this is the calm before the storm and a kind of transition into the championship game next.))**


	9. To Wish Impossible Things

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes are from the movie. _To Wish Impossible Things** **_is a song by The Cure))_**

**((Like I said, I know diddly squat about hockey. And this game is HUGE and lots of action. I'll try my hardest but I'm gonna leave the announcer in and just add to what he says. It's redundant to re-write it all. I hope I don't disappoint too many of you. And the locker room scene is all quotes and not much is POV, I'm sorry. It'll get better. Thanks for the reviews. X0)) **_  
_CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAINST ICELAND (2) _**  
**Live from the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. It's Team U.S.A. versus Iceland in the hockey finals of the Junior Goodwill Games. Hi, everybody. This is Bob Miller along with Jacques Berman. Nice to have you with us for what should be an exciting title game tonight.  
_In the locker room right before the game. Everybody is getting pumped up. If I don't play tonight as much as I'd hate it, I can't say it wasn't worth it. Dean is the greatest guy I've been with. **_  
_**"Coach."**_  
_**"Hey Banks."  
"I woke up…and the pain was gone." He rotates his hockey stick perfectly. **_  
_**"Adam, I'm sorry, but we already have a full roster." Charlie speaks up from the back of the room. **_  
_**"He can have my spot." What? Charlie is the captain. "It's what I can do for the team. Let me do it." **_  
_**"Charlie, I need you on the bench, coaching right there with me."**_  
_**Let the games begin…**_  
_**"Take a deep breath. Here we go." Bombay said as he opened the rink doors._**  
**Now the two teams gather at their respective benches. In their last meeting, Iceland crushed Team U.S.A. twelve to one. **  
**_"Heads high! Stand tall! Fly straight! U.S.A. all the way!"_**  
**We're ready for the opening face-off in tonight's championship game. Team U.S.A. against Iceland. Lester Averman will move in to take the draw for Team U.S.A. And off the face-off, Averman gets knocked down. Iceland physically dominated the first game between these two teams and they'll try to do it again tonight. Guy Germaine gets checked down in the corner. Back behind the net, Golburg cuts it off there for U.S.A. Here comes Dean Portman. Portman with the puck. He's hit hard into the glass by Gunnar Stahl. Iceland out to dominate this game early. Puck is still in the U.S.A. zone. There's a shot from the blue line. Stick save by Golburg, good save! Held in by Iceland. Golburg looks like he got tripped in front of the net. Iceland still with it. Back behind the net. Here's a wraparound by Sandersson. And he scores! Iceland gets an early one-to-nothing lead._  
Russ heads out and gets checked hard. Tries to make his shot of but loses the puck._**  
**Iceland with a one-nothing lead. Throwing everything they have at Team U.S.A. Iceland scores again. Team U.S.A. has to find a way to get back into the game because they are being totally dominated by a bigger, faster Iceland team. **  
**_"We can't make it. Iceland's bigger, they're stronger, faster. They have more facial hair." Umm, okay. Banks is out and skating. Sandersson hit him again. **_  
_**"Sit down, guys. Sit down, sit down. Hey, ref! Why don't you call something for crying out loud? He almost took his arm off!" Are you kidding me? He only gets a penalty.  
_Now the crowd doing the wave, trying to get Team U.S.A. back in this game. It may be working. Team U.S.A. moving up to center ice. Connie Moreau. Moreau to the blue line of Iceland. Drops it back to Mendoza. Ducks under a check. Dwayne Robertson with it now for Team U.S.A. He's from Austin, Texas. He's got great moves with the puck. Robertson still with it. Portman calling for it in front of the net. Robertson knocked down from behind. And Iceland will take over. Here's Luis Mendoza in a footrace trying to catch Amselik. Amselik on a breakaway. He could make it three-nothing. Mendoza trying frantically to catch him. Amselik moving in on Golburg. Amselik gets hit from behind taking the puck into the goal. Amselik, Mendoza and the puck all in the net. It's a goal. And Iceland leads now three-to-nothing. **  
**_"Show me the Flying "V" Let's go! Let's go!" The "v" is Jesse, Ken, Russ, Fulton and Luis. If only it had worked._**  
**And here's a four-on-none break for Iceland. Gunnar Stahl to Sandersson. Wide open net and he scores. Four-nothing, Iceland. And Iceland is really taking it to Team U.S.A. They are completely dominating this game. As we start the second period you wonder how in the world is Team U.S.A. gonna get back in this? It's like David versus Goliath. Off the face-off, Averman gets knocked down by Gunnar Stahl. And the heavy hitting by Iceland continues. It's gonna take something drastic for Team U.S.A. to turn this game around._  
Yes it is. And drastic names are Dean Portman and Fulton Reed. _**  
**Iceland trying to pad their lead here in the second period. Wu around. Number 74 spins around. He's right in the slot. He shoots! And a save by Golburg. Kenny Wu picks it up behind the Team U.S.A. net. Wu, the former Olympic skater weaves his way up to center ice, he's gonna try and split the Iceland defense. Fulton back to Wu. He shoots, he scores! Wu, Wu, Wu, Kenny Wu! Puts Team U.S.A. on the board.  
_"Hey you guys, come on, get--. Let's play hockey!"Haha wow.  
_Uh, oh. Both Fulton and Portman are going to get misconduct penalties here. They're ushered into the penalty box where they join Wu and they're still going wild. Now there's three "Bash Brothers". **  
**_"Connie, be careful out there, they're gunning for you."**_  
_**"Don't worry, I'll be fine."_**  
**Iceland on the attack again. Uberjavik fires the puck in the corner. And Connie Moreau over to get it. Moreau with it and Sandersson has her lined up**  
**_"Get out of there, Connie!"**_  
_((Hahaha, funny scene. "Thank you, Dwayne. But I'm no lady, I'm a duck!"))  
**_Referee taking Robertson over to the penalty box. What are they gonna call this penalty? Two minutes for roping? That's a new one on me. We're at the end of the second period; Iceland has a commanding four-to-one lead. **  
**_"This isn't a hockey game; it's a circus."**_  
_**Buzzer sounds and we all head back to the locker room. **_  
_**"Did you all enjoy that?"**_  
_**"Yeah!"**_  
_**"Okay. Well so did they. Because they're still three points up and we're one period away from defeat."**_  
_**"Well if we can't beat them, we might as well keep our pride."**_  
_**"Yeah."**_  
_**"Jesse that's not pride. Sure when Dwayne roped that big oaf part of me cheered. But guys I've been there. I know how you feel. I wanted to cream that jerk that busted my knee when I played in the minors. And I really, really wanted to go after Stansson for that cheap shot. But you know what? My knee will heal. And if I become someone I'm not, if I sink to their level; well then I've lost more than my knee. Understand?"**_  
_**"Yeah."**_  
_**"We're not goons, we're not bullies. No matter what people say or do…we have to be ourselves. You, who are you?"**_  
_**"Dean Portman."**_  
_**"From where?"**_  
_**"Chicago, Illinois."**_  
_**"You."**_  
_**"Guy Germaine."**_  
_**"From where?"**_  
_**"St. Paul, Minnesota."**_  
_**"You."**_  
_**"Jesse Hall from Minneapolis, Minnesota."**_  
_**"Who are you?"**_  
_**"Julie Gaffney from Bangor, Maine."**_  
_**"Luis Mendoza. Miami, Florida."**_  
_**"Greg Golburg. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."**_  
_**"Les Averman Brooklyn Park, Minnesota."  
"Fulton Reed. Stillwater, Minnesota."**_  
_**"Russ Tyler. South Central Los Angeles."**_  
_**"Charlie Conway. Minneapolis, Minnesota."**_  
_**"Ken Wu. San Francisco, California."**_  
_**"Connie Moreau. Minneapolis, Minnesota."**_  
_**"Adam Banks. Edina, Minnesota."**_  
_**"Dwayne Robertson. Austin Texas."**_  
_**"Michelle MacKay. Duluth, Minnesota."**_  
_**"And I'm Gordon Bombay. Minneapolis, Minnesota." Cheering and such. "We're Team U.S.A., gathered from all across America. And we're gonna stick together. You know why?"**_  
_**"Because we are the Ducks. And Ducks fly together." Where the hell did he come from?**_  
_**"That's right, Jan."**_  
_**"And just when you think they're about to break apart."**_  
_**"Ducks fly together."**_  
_**"And when the wind blows hard and the sky is black."**_  
_**"Ducks fly together."**_  
_**"And when the roosters are crowing and cows are spinning circles in the pastures." I told you that kid was weird. **_  
_**"Uh, okay. Ducks fly together."**_  
_**"And when everyone says it can't be done. Ducks fly together." **_  
_**"Now, new Ducks, and old Ducks, must unite under a new banner. And I thought perhaps something like this."  
Wow, is he good at that crappy inspirational speech thing? I'm nervous and I really want us to pull through. If not then everything we've gained from this experience, especially me will still have been worthwhile in the end.**_  
_**…****

_Here to start the third period, what team is this? It's not Team U.S.A... Well yes it is. They've got on new uniforms. They're wearing the logo of the Duck. I've never seen this before. I've just gotten word that there is no rule against changing uniform. Well Gordon Bombay's old team was called the Ducks, and I guess we've got the U.S.A. Ducks out there now.  
_"Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Go Ducks!"  
**((Insert "We Will Rock You" by Queen. Wicked song))  
**_Guy Germaine gives it over to Kenny Wu. Wu back to Germaine. Germaine slides it to Connie Moreau. She shoots! She scores! Connie Moreau with a lovely move in front of the net pulls Team. U.S.A. to within two goals. Team. U.S.A. still down by two goals. Trying to get back in it. Shot and a diving save by Golburg. Averman with it for the Ducks, he leads the attack. Comes right up the middle. Averman lost the puck. Iceland gets it over to Gunnar Stahl. He's got an empty net. He scores! Oh, that hurts. The Ducks trail now, five-to-two.  
_**((Coolest shot-ever. Probably illegal in real hockey but that's why it's a movie.))  
**_Play continues here in the final period. The hitting has picked up but the Ducks are hanging in there. However they're still down by two goals with time running out. Bodies flying all over the ice. The puck is in the Duck's zone. Here's Mendoza on a breakaway. He can really fly. The speedster into the Iceland zone.  
_"Put it in, Luis!"  
_He scores! Luis Mendoza on breakaway scores with two minutes left. And the Ducks trail by one._ Russ is trying to get his shot but he's cornered._  
_"Time out! Guys, come in!"  
_Time running out here in the third period. The Ducks with the puck. They're still down by a goal. They're back in their own zone. I don't know why they're not moving it up to center ice. They have to attack. The clock is ticking. Iceland with a one goal lead.  
_"Alright, Guy, now!"  
_Here's Germaine in his own zone. Germaine gives it to Luis Mendoza. Mendoza goes back behind the net starts up on the attack. Mendoza drops it back to—to Golburg? He gave it to the goaltender, Golburg. Wait, its not Golburg. Tyler with it. Tees up the puck with a knuckle puck. Russ Tyler with the knuckle puck ties the game with no time left on the clock. So the championship comes down to a shootout. Each team picks five of their best. One-on-one with the goalie. No rebounds. Best of five shots wins it all. What a way to end it!  
_**((This is the shootout. Just in case you forgot this is a Julie POV but I've only been writing the commentator part. But he finally stops talking now so it will be Julie POV now.))**

Up first is Jesse. He makes it. Then Iceland's 74 makes it. Its 1-1. Guy goes out and makes it. 2-1. Iceland goes again but they miss. The anticipation is killing me. Dwayne goes up and misses so we're still 2-1. Sandersson makes it so 2-2. Fulton's up and makes an awesome shot, 3-2. Iceland makes it 3-3. Adam is up as our last shooter and he makes it. 4-3. If Iceland misses the next goal we win it all. Gunnar Stahl steps out. Crap. He's the best they have_.  
_"Julie, you got the fast glove. I know this kid's move. Triple deke, glove side. Anticipate it and you got him." Now? You decide to put me out there now?  
"What if he goes stick side?" He's really good. I've seen him shoot.  
"He's fancy, he'll go glove. Don't hesitate. Let's go." Breathing is good…no not really I'm actually freaking out.  
In a surprise move, Bombay has gone to his bench. He's sending out Julie Gaffney to replace Golburg. She'll face Gunnar Stahl. I don't know about this move by Bombay. Putting in a cold goaltender to face the leading scorer in the tournament. But hang on to your hats. Here we go. If Julie "The Cat" Gaffney stops Gunnar Stahl the U.S.A. wins.  
Okay that guy is a moron. People doubting me makes want to rub it in their faces... I skate out.  
"Go get him, Julie."  
He starts towards me. Triple deke, glove. Breathe. Count him in."That's one." I watched as he shifted his weight on his skates. "Two." Coming closer last time. C'mon you can do this, Julie. "Three." He stops a few feet from me and pulls back for his shot. Bombay's voice echoed in my head. Don't hesitate. He shoots and I feel my knees hit the ice. Everything is silent. I can't believe it. Gunnar looks me directly in the eyes. I stand up and drop the puck from my glove. The crowd goes insane. Wait that means we won.  
_Ducks win! Ducks win! Oh I can't believe it. The Ducks have come from behind to beat Iceland in a shootout in the championship game!_  
I pull my helmet off and drop it behind me. I skate over to Gunnar.  
"Nice try." Wow is he cute, but who cares WE WIN!  
_Bombay, the Minnesota Miracle Man, has done it again._  
I skate over and run into Charlie. That definitely just happened didn't it? The team comes over and everyone's going crazy. We did it we actually freaking did it. This is the most amazing feeling ever. Charlie takes the flag and starts running with it. We all follow him until we reach Bombay and all the cameras.  
"Ducks! Ducks! Ducks! Ducks!"

**((Yeah, it doesn't end here. There is a kind of after-party, then the campfire scene and then Julie and Dean go to their hometowns. Review, please))**


	10. Made of Glass

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The quotes are from the movie. I did however write the background stories on the characters. Camp Arden refers to Jann Arden, because I was listening to her song while writing much of this. Kennedy is the name of my highschool. Made of Glass is a song by Trapt that I was listening to while uploading.)) _**

**((antiIRONY, I was expecting at least one or more reviews like yours when I uploaded the chapter. It's a really a bad habit I have and my leaving in the dialogue and such is my way of kind of cheating and I really shouldn't do it. I'm going to leave the chapter as it is for now because thankfully, I am out of dialogue from the movie and when I write the D3: Sequel I'll keep the dialogue minimal. But thanks for your ideas; I'll keep them in mind. And thanks to all reviewers especially Ghostwriter, MadmButterfly713, Gaffney06, BrokenAngel1753, Hiding in the Shadow, Jessie 13 and a few others. You guys review like every chapter. Thanks sooo so much, glad you like it.))**

_Julie's POV_  
Once everyone had calms down a bit, we head back on the bus to Los Angeles. We're gonna pack our bags, have a Team Campout, then everyone flies back to their hometown. By the day after tomorrow I'll be back in Maine. And as much I hated the small dorm and hotels, these are the best people and the best time I've ever had. Okay, don't think about that right now. We just won the gold in the Junior Good Will Games. This has been the most incredible experience in the world. I sit down in the same seat on the bus and lean my head against the window. Everybody is still screaming and celebrating. I'm getting one of the worst headaches I've ever had. I just close my eyes and lean my face on the cool glass. _  
_"Julie." Dean rubbed my arm softly. "Jules, what's wrong?"_  
_"I'm just tired." I said smiling half-heartedly _  
_"Are you sure? You okay?" Aww, he's so cute when he's concerned. _  
_"Yeah. I'm fine."_  
_That night we held a killer party in the dorms. We were the last team still sleeping in dorms and we had the whole building to ourselves. It didn't end until 3:30 in the morning when Bombay came by with the cops. Everyone broke apart and returned to their rooms. The minute my head hit the pillow I fell asleep. Truth is, as happy as I am about winning; I have to go back to Maine, with my overbearing mother and living practically as an only child. Back to the same boring routine, probably going to Camp Arden for the rest of the summer with a bunch of rich snobs. Then going to back to Kennedy Academy for my sophomore year with the same rich snobs. It's not all bad, I mean my Dad is great plus the off chance I see my brother, and I do have friends and my old hockey team. But it still won't be the same. That whole lifestyle is something I never really wanted, just something I happen to be born into.  
A knock at the door wakes me up. I roll over and pull the pillow over my head. I feel sick and tired. Connie, already dressed opens the door and leaves with Guy to breakfast. Some ten minutes later there is another knock. I roll over and put my back to the door. Whoever it is will leave eventually.  
Or not…  
**End POV**

**_Dean's POV_**  
I open the door slowly and step inside the small bedroom. I see Julie lying on her bed facing the wall. I walk over and sit on the edge of the bed. Julie turns around and sits up when she sees me.  
"Oh, hey." She says kind of surprised.  
"Hey. I just came up to see if you were okay. You didn't come down to breakfast."  
"Yeah, I'm really tired." I looked into her light eyes and she turned away.  
"What's up?" I watched as her eyes filled with tears.  
"I don't want to leave, yet." She said laughing, trying to make her voice as light as possible. "I don't want to go home. Home is so boring and stupid and lonely compared to this." The tears spilled from her eyes and slid down her pale cheeks. I move closer to her and brush a tear from her chin. I smile as positively as I can, trying to make her feel better.  
"So am I, Jules. Leaving is gonna suck."  
"The leaving I can handle. It's the saying goodbye that hurts."  
"Hey. It definitely doesn't end here." She smiled sadly at me.  
"How can you be so sure?"  
"I just am." I took her face in my hands and kissed her softly. "C'mon, get dressed. I know for a fact that you're hungry." She smiled and rubbed the rest of the tears from her eyes.  
"Yeah, I am."  
She got dressed and we went to breakfast together. After that we went back to the Coliseum and skated around for a few hours. Then we had an early dinner because everyone was ordered back to their dorms to pack. Tonight we're having a camp out and then tomorrow everyone takes off. I have a 6 p.m. flight tomorrow so I get to wait around and watch everyone leave individually. It's really gonna suck. I finish taking a shower and getting dressed. Fulton is already finished packing his stuff, not that he has much with him. I pulled my battered suitcase from underneath the bed and started throwing clothes and magazines in sloppily. The silence is killing me.  
"So on a scale from one to ten how stupid is the campout going to be?"  
Fulton laced up his combat boots and pulls his army pants over the top. He sighed and stood up.  
"Pretty stupid. Just a bonfire and hanging out. What a way to go out, huh?"  
"Yeah well, everyone is splitting up tomorrow so I guess it's like an opportunity to say bye or whatever." I'm gonna miss Julie so much. She isn't like the girls I usually go out with, she keeps me sane. Fulton must've read my mind.  
"So what's up with you and Jules? What are you gonna do?"  
"There really is nothing we can do. Chicago and Bangor aren't exactly close."  
"That sucks."  
"Yeah I'm gonna miss her a lot. And you, and everyone."  
"You're gonna miss Julie the most. So it is just going to be over for you guys, just like that?" I sat down on my empty bed, exasperated.  
"I guess for right now, yeah. It can't go anywhere. But as lame as this sounds I have this feeling like, I dunno, like it doesn't end here for us." Fulton nodded and turned his head away, not looking me in the eye. "What, Fulton?"  
"Okay. I hate to be the asshole of bad news and I'm only saying this because, well it's probably true. I hope I'm wrong but I think that even if you two do meet up again, you won't be the same couple you are now." I knew that was coming.  
"Yeah, why?" I know I sound angry at him, but I'm not. I'm just frustrated because I know _exactly_ what he is talking about.  
"A girl like Julie, I'd give her a month at least before she is with another guy. And not because she doesn't care about you, but you're just not _that_ guy and that's just the way it happens. Trust me, it's happened to me."  
I sighed and shut my eyes. As much as I hate to admit it, he is probably right. And I knew that, I knew that when I first liked Julie. But it still feels like hell inside me right now.  
**End POV**

Campsite  
**_Julie's POV  
_**I'm so excited about this campout thing. See how some people love the beach and really warm weather; I like the forest and the coolness. Don't get me wrong, I love going to the beach, but something about the smell of trees and stuff lights me up. Besides campfire means smores! Hello, can you say heaven on earth. I haven't done anything like this since I was almost nine. But anyway I'm in a way better mood than I was this morning. I was an emotional wreck last night. And I kind of broke down in front of Dean, which I think freaked him out more than he'll admit. I've decided that Dean is an incredible guy and I should try and keep in touch as much as possible and if we never meet up I will most definitely remember this experience. As much as that hurts because I really hope that we'll be more than just friends, more than just a memory. Dean walks by and won't look me in the eye. Oh what now? I walk over to the group seated on some logs and see that Dean is being awfully quiet. The sun begins to set behind the trees and the team is happily chattering while Bombay, Tibbles, Jan, Charlie and Jesse attempt to build a fire. It looks pretty funny. I stay standing and watch from a little farther away. Dean looks so gorgeous tonight wearing his ripped jeans, a black sweater and his regular bandana. Something is up with him though, being so out of it and dazed isn't like him. His eyes have that far off look he gets when he is thinking about something. I start nibbling on my lip without noticing. I want to go over and sit comfortably next to him, smelling the faint cologne the makes me melt. But I'm getting this weird vibe that he doesn't want me right now. After all, he refuses to make eye contact with me. The fire eventually gets lit as everyone finds sticks for marshmallows and I sit down next to Connie and Guy, still unsure of the negative vibe I'm getting. Dean sits with Fulton and Dwayne opposite us, across the fire. Once everyone is sitting, Dwayne starts strumming his guitar and everyone sings along. Nobody actually knows any of these songs, except maybe Dwayne but whatever. I stare intently at Dean but he seems to want to look everywhere but at me. The chill is starting to get to me and my sweatshirt is over in my tent. I see behind me there is a flannel sweater, probably Charlie's, so I pull it over my shoulders. Right then I catch Dean's eyes on me, blazing with the light from the fire, but he turns away quickly. That's when Golburg lit his marshmallow completely on fire and needed Charlie's help to put it out. I had to laugh along with everyone else. Then Dwayne starting playing a familiar song.  
_I've paid my dues. Time after time. I've had my sentence but committed no crime._  
Then everyone joins in. This song is so appropriate for this win.  
_And bad mistakes. I've made a few. I've had my share of sand kicked in my face but I've come through. And we go on and on and on and on! We are the champions, my friends. And we'll keep on fighting, 'til the end. We are the champions, we are the champions. No time for losers, cause we are the champions OF THE WORLD!_  
That's when everyone forgot all the words and started laughing because Fulton and Dean had grabbed Averman and started to play punch him. And when it was over we all clapped. Maybe we are an insult to Queen but we tried. Happy moment gone, Dean still isn't meeting my eyes. God what is wrong with him. He did it again! Look up, look away. What the hell? I can't just sit here and take this any more. I get up and walk away from the fire towards the edge of the camp where there is a small manmade lake. I slip off my flip-flops and dip my feet in the cold water. I faintly hear footsteps behind me. Dean sits down next to me.  
"Hey."  
"Hi." I say a little too harshly. I feel the bottom of my pants getting wet but I really don't care. I'm not even sure what I'm feeling. He's pulling away from me. Even sitting next to me I feel his body get tense and turning away. "What's wrong with you?"  
"What'd you mean?" He said looking down at his hands. God, what the hell?  
"Why are you avoiding me?"  
"I'm not." He said softly still looking into his palms.  
"You haven't made eye contact with me since we got here." He looked up quickly. I raised my eyebrows.  
"I'm just, I dunno. Questioning why we're even together?" Are you kidding me?  
"What the hell are you talking about?" He got up and walked a foot away from me. "Can you _please_ just stop and talk to me!" I said getting up and following him. "What do you mean questioning why we're together?"  
"I'm not good for you, Julie."  
"You're joking! I wish everyone would just stop telling me what is good for me. Don't you think I can decide for myself?"  
"I guess not. God, Julie, I barely even know you! So exactly what the fuck were we thinking?" My mouth opens in disbelief.  
"We were thinking that we could find someone we could get to know and talk to. How the hell am I supposed to do that if you're pulling away from me, Dean?"  
"I'm pulling away for good reason. What if this whole thing, you and me, was a mistake?"  
"Did it feel like a mistake when you had your tongue half way down my throat? No, I bet it didn't." Ouch, I didn't mean to say that at all. He looks crestfallen.  
"I'm not the right guy for you, okay? Can we just leave it at that?" He started walking away. I could not leave it like this.  
"Dean! "I run and catch up with him. "I didn't mean any of that crap. What I meant to say is that, I care about you. Whether you're the right guy for me or not, I choose you. I trust you and you need to able to trust me enough to tell me what's going on in your head. For real, Dean. What's really wrong?"  
"Julie, tomorrow you're gonna get on that plane and go to Maine. Back to your rich parents and elite school. And maybe not at first, but eventually, some guy will come chasing after you. And I'll just be some memory, some guy in Chicago."  
"Some amazing guy, that I'll never forget, Dean." I grab his hand and hold it tightly. "Besides what happened it to it doesn't end here, huh?"  
"That's bullshit and you know it." I shake my head no.  
"No, it's not. It doesn't have to be."  
…  
**((This was probably the most difficult chapter to write because I had no idea what I was going to do between them before they leave. Next chapter is going home and I might do an album on the webshots to go with it cause I'm a loser like that. I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter. It's been like over a week, grr. I'll update ASAP.))**


	11. Sweetest Goodbye

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The background stories and families I did write and I own any non-movie characters. I don't want to bore you anymore so the rest of the disclaimer will be at the end.)) _**

_Good-day sunlight  
I'd like to say how truly bright you are  
You don't know me but I know you  
You're my favorite star  
Follow you I will so lets get moving  
Who needs shelter when the mornings coming?  
Absolutely there's no one  
Who needs shelter from the sun?  
Not me, no. not anyone._

**_Dean's POV  
_**I wake up to the bright sun in my eyes. Right then I feel how uncomfortable I am, lying in dry grass. Julie is nestled with her head on my chest next to me. Little tip, never, never sleep on the ground ever. My leather jacket is draped over both of us but it is around 85 degrees out anyway. I get up and shake Julie awake.  
"Oh god, don't tell me we fell asleep here." I stand up slowly and stretch.  
"I guess so. C'mon lets get back to camp. They're probably worried about us." I say pulling her to her feet. We start walking back the way we came. We reached camp and the only one awake was Jan who didn't even notice us while he was cooking hasenpfeffer and eggs. Julie quickly snuck into the tent her and Connie were sharing. I went to the one Fulton and I had been sharing. He is dead asleep so I just lie down on my own sleeping bag. Everything that happened last night is still running through my head. Maybe I was being a bit of a, what's the word Julie used, delusional asshole. Just blurting out that I wasn't right for her may have not been the nicest thing to do, but then she did say I was practically raping her so it all evened out. Then I finally told her what is really going on, how I'm probably never gonna see her again and even if I do it won't be the same. She promised me that she would always care about me the way she does now. Fulton snores extremely loudly. It would be all too easy for me to blame this on Fulton, for putting the idea in my head, but it isn't his fault at all, it is just the way it is. And the idea was already in my head so I just acted on it. But I think we're going to treasure the time we have left which is, exactly 5 hours since she has a 12 o'clock flight. I'm just trying really hard not be so bummed out about the whole situation. She's going to find an amazing guy: rich, possibly blonde, with a Ferrari and mansion. Wow Adam's face just flashed in my mind. Yeah a guy like Adam or something along those lines. And it'll drive me nuts thinking about her with someone else but I guess I'll have to do it. At least that's what we decided together, because long distance relationships suck, we'll keep in touch as much as possible or something. I'm gonna miss her way too much just because she is literally my conscience and she keeps me in my head. She, what's the word, inspires me. That's not really the relationship I usually have with girls. Actually most of the time it's purely physical and hearing girls bitch about their hair and nails bores the living hell out of me. But Julie is nothing like that, all we've done is kiss plus she plays hockey and gets me. Just as my eyes start to close I hear a loud annoying duck whistle outside.  
"Everybody up! Breakfast! Now! Hustle, let's go!" Fulton wakes up and looks over at me drearily.  
"Where'd you disappear to?"  
"Nowhere." I say heading out of the tent and into the cool morning air. I sit at down at the same place around the fire and gladly take the eggs Jan handed me. After ten more minutes of the whistle everyone is seated around the fire. Julie is next to me, between me and Fulton. We all knew what was coming and we'd all rather avoid it. Bombay stood up and pulled a paper out of his pocket.  
"Okay, Team. It is now 7:45. The first one of us to have a flight out of here is Ken at 9:30. So we have to get packed up and to the airport by nine. Luis your flight is at 10:15 then Dwayne is at 11:00. Julie you're at 12:00. Averman, Adam, Charlie, Guy, Golburg, Connie, Fulton and Jesse all of you have a 12:30 flight to Minneapolis with me. Dean you have a 6:00 flight but Miss MacKay will stay with you because her flight is at 6:30. Russ what time are you heading home?" Lucky Russ only had a twenty minute drive home from the airport.  
"My Dad said he'd pick me up at three."  
"Okay. You know the plan. Pack up the tents and let's get the hell outta here." That set everyone in frenzy, running around. Packing up tents, picking up trash that we had strewn all over the campsite, putting suitcases on the bus that was transporting us. But since everyone knew this was goodbye we were all very silent and depressed about it. Even Averman was quiet; I didn't think that was possible. A weird calm was over us. Not necessarily the Minnesota Ducks who all live within 20 minutes of each other, but the rest of us. Once everything we loaded on the bus and the campsite looked somewhat clean we all boarded. I sat in the first seat behind the driver. Julie sat down next to me, Connie and Guy in the seat next to ours. I hate admitting it but I'm so jealous of them. They've been together practically since they were born and they were going on the same flight to the same city. Nothing is ever easy like that for me. That's why this Team U.S.A. thing was pretty much a miracle for me. If not then I'd still be in Chicago playing for Morgan Park, which if you wanted to give it a name, a team full of juvenile delinquents. Not that I was really one of them but I was labeled as one just because I played with them. Growing up pretty much fatherless, unless you want my biological father who died when I was seven. I barely knew him because he was always drunk and out of it. That's why it bothered me that I look almost exactly like him. Believe it or not, I am the biggest 'momma's boy' that you could ever meet. That'll be the only good part about going home, my mother. The bus stopping in front of the busy airport arrival deck brings me back to the present. I follow Julie off the bus and into the air-conditioned building. All of us checked our bags to our flights respectively. When Ken's flight was called we all said goodbye, the girls hugging him and kissing his cheek. Luis was the same way followed by Dwayne forty-five minutes later. After Dwayne left I started to get antsy because I knew Julie was next. We sat in the uncomfortable airport chairs in front of her gate. She was silent, I knew she was thinking about something. Her hand was clutched in mine tightly and we sat in silence.  
"Flight 209 to Bangor, Maine is now boarding. All those with tickets please line up at the gate. Flight 209 to Bangor, Maine." Julie nearly jumped out of her seat. She stood up and smiled sadly at me. I stood up and took both her hands in mine.  
"So I guess this is it, then."  
"Yeah." I say softly.  
_Where you are seems to be as far as an eternity. Outstretched arms open hearts and if it never ends then when do we start?  
_She leans in and kisses me passionately. I never want to let go.  
**_End POV_ **

**_Julie's POV  
_**When I finally pull away from him I know there are tears in my eyes. I hold back from crying and hug the remainder of the team. I say goodbye to Coach Bombay and Miss MacKay, still choking back tears. Last but not least is Connie who is no longer holding anything back so tears are running down her face. That just plain breaks me down and I cry too. When we both calm down enough to leave I turn around to hug and kiss Dean one last time. From somewhere behind me I hear a clicking noise.  
_I'll never leave you behind or treat you unkind. I know you understand and with a tear in my eye give me the sweetest goodbye that I ever did receive.  
_"Last call for Flight 209 to Bangor. All ticket holders proceed to the gate."  
"Bye." I say to everyone. I start walking towards the gate with my ticket in hand.  
"Julie wait!" I hear Connie's voice from behind me. She runs over to me and hands me my camera. "You almost forgot this." She smiles sadly. "Bye." And in a flash of long brown hair she is gone. I see Dean standing with the rest of the team staring at me. It's almost impossible to make my feet move.  
_Pushing forward and arching back  
Bring me closer to heart attack  
Say goodbye and just fly away  
When you comeback  
I have some things to say  
_I walk to the gate and hand the attendant my ticket. She smiles happily.  
"Thank you, Miss Gaffney. Have a nice flight."  
_How does it feel to know you never have to be alone when you get home? There must be someplace here that only you and I could go so I can show you how I feel…  
_I find my seat in the front the plane and sit down next to the window. I brush the tears away from my face and look at the camera in my hands. There is only picture left. I could've sworn I still had a few more on this roll of film.  
_Dream away everyday, try so hard to disregard the rhythm of the rain that drops and coincides with the beating of my heart.  
_After take off I immediately fall asleep for the remainder of the 5½ hour flight__

**_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_((Disclaimer: The song in the beginning in italics is Who Need's Shelter by Jason Mraz. Its up there cause it was stuck in my head all day yesterday and it seemed appropriate for the scene. The chapter title as well as the italics in the airport scene is from Sweetest Goodbye by Maroon 5 and it fit perfectly for Julie and Dean. It's a little short but I needed to wrap up the campout scene. Next chapter Julie goes home and meets her family and maybe Dean will too, I haven't decided yet. I might not be able to post for awhile, at least not before Tuesday.Please give me plenty of feedback and inspiration. Reviews, good or bad are always appreciated. Oh and I have absolutely no idea what hasenpfeffer is. It is translated "rabbit pepper" in German but Jan says it to Gordon and Charlie in the beginning of D2. x0x0, elyse))**


	12. Sad Sad Situation

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The background stories and families I did write and I own any non-movie characters. Sad, Sad, Situation is a song by Bowiling for Soup. Anything else will be at the end.)) _**

Julie's POV

I stepped off the plane, went over to the phones and punched in my home phone number. I did as I was instructed and put in two quarters. It rang, and rang and rang.  
"Hello, you've reached the Gaffney residence. We cannot come to the phone right now. So please leave a mess--" I put the phone back down and heard my change fall into the bottom of the machine. I had talked to my Dad yesterday and he had said that someone would pick me up when my flight got in. But he didn't say who or at what time. Just to meet them outside by the coffee stand. So I head outside towards the small coffee vender at the end of the arrival terminal. I really hate waiting for things, it irritates the crap out of me that I'm half an hour from home but I'm stuck standing on a street corner. That's when a pair of hands slips over my eyes. Only one person does that to me.  
"Guess who." I grab the hands and turn around and standing behind me is my brother. He looks so different with his dirty blonde hair grown out, mustache, goatee and all.  
"Oh my god, Erik! What are you doing here?" I say jumping into his arms. We have always been close. And the weirdest thing is that we never really fought much because by the time I was old enough to argue with him he was already in college. His name is James Erik Gaffney, actually. But he hates the name James.  
"Here to bring you home, JJ." He says hugging me tightly. JJ is his nickname for me. I don't know where it came from but there you go. He let go of me and grabbed my bag off the floor. "So word has it that you're quite the goalie. Oh wait that was national television and magazines and things. Sorry, you know how forgetful I am."  
"So I'm not here more than a minute before you get to tease me. Nice." I say sarcastically following him to his black BMW. I sit down in the passenger seat while he loads my suitcase into the trunk. Then he sits down in the driver's seat and heads towards central Bangor. "So you're back in the Gaffney house I hear."  
"Yeah for a little while. I don't mind it really. It's big enough to avoid Mom and Dad easily." I laugh.  
"So, who is she?" He smiled widely.  
"Who?"  
"The woman who has an identical ring to that one." I say looking at his ring finger where there is a white gold diamond encrusted engagement ring.  
"Oh her? Nobody special." He pulls up our long driveway and parks the car. I look up at the big white house in front of me. Hard to believe I've been away no more than a month. I start towards the trunk and open it.  
"Hey don't worry about it JJ, I got it. Besides, god forbid you injure those goal saving hands."  
"Shut up, Erik." I say walking up the stairs to the front deck. I love this house simply because it's so unique. The brick driveway leads up to a 4-car garage. Then up the stairs to the deck that wraps around the entire house. From the front door you can see a small lake that I used to skate on in the winter. Instead of immediately going inside I turn the corner and end up on the side of the house facing the lake. That's when I hear a dog barking behind me.  
"Champion!" I say bending down to pet my giant golden retriever. Leave it to my father and his compulsiveness to win to name the dog champion. Erik comes up behind me and sits on the edge of the fencing with a beer in hand. I pull my camera out of my pocket.  
"Hey Erik!" He turns to look at me and I snap the last picture. I put the camera down on the table and walk over to my 28 year-old brother.  
"So who's the guy?"  
"What guy?" I ask innocently. There's no way he knows about Dean…I hope.  
"C'mon JJ. There is always a guy for you. It never fails."  
"Not always." I lie and sit next to him. "So who's my almost sister-in-law?"  
"Does the name Shanna Preston ring any bells?" Surprisingly it did.  
"Isn't that girl you stalked when you were in Kennedy Academy?"  
"I did not stalk her! I took her to senior prom, remember?" I laughed.  
"Oh come on, Erik! As if we didn't already have enough blonde chicks in this house. Wait, let me guess she drives an Audi, has huge boobs and loves designer clothes?" I didn't think Erik would go for that kind of girl.  
"No, she hates shopping and she's athletic and all that stuff. Actually she kinda reminds me of you sometimes."  
"So you're missing out on a trophy wife and marrying your sister? You're even more twisted than I thought bro." I say grabbing the can out of his hands and taking a sip. Ughhh, beer is the grossest thing ever. He takes it back and gulps it down.  
"So…who's the guy?"  
"Shut up, Erik. Why do you assume there's a guy?"  
"So what's his name? C'mon I need the hot gossip. If he's over 18, let me remind you, that's statutory rape in this country." **((Lol Gaffney06, not a reference, I swear!))  
**"Erik, seriously, stop talking. You're out of your friggin mind."  
"Wait, JJ, you are a virgin right?"  
"Ugh, we are so not having this conversation. God, Erik you're my brother!"  
"What you can't blame me for being curious. Hell at your age, I wasn't."  
"I really didn't need to hear that." Erik is so random, it's irritating.  
"Just being honest with you. Let me guess." He pulls a newspaper clipping out of his pocket. It had the pictures of all the ducks plus their names and positions then the 'newbies' with all their names and positions. "Let's see here. Don't tell me you went out with the captain of the team. Because let me inform you JJ, sleeping your way to the top won't work. Trust me I've tried." Eww Charlie, eww.  
"No, not Charlie. By the way I think you're mentally unstable." I say getting up and heading inside. Champion began following me to my room upstairs. I lie down on my queen-size bed and stare at the ceiling.  
"So, not Conway." Erik says bursting into my room and jumps on the bed next to me. Honestly you would think I'm the older one. "Adam Banks, oh man Dad would love this kid. That's mean you'd hate him, next is Luis Mendoza. Wow JJ, didn't know you liked the Hispanic guys." I kick out my leg and trip Erik so he falls face first onto my bed. "So not Mendoza. Fulton Reed, no, Lester Averman, aww poor kid got the name Lester. Jesse Hall, maybe, Dwayne Robertson, more like lone ranger, Ken Wu, nah, Russ Tyler, nope." I sit up. He only has three names left: Dean, Guy and Golburg. "Germai--"  
"ERIK! Seriously, shut up! You're not funny, okay? I am amazed that any girl could stand to be with you when you act like such an asshole sometimes. You had your joke, now you can leave. Please!" Headache, throbbing, ouch. He looked a little stunned that I had actually yelled at him, and cursed at him.  
"Sorry, Jay. The engagement party is tonight at the club so we gotta be there by nine, okay?" He said while getting off my bed and heading towards the door. "By the way, Happy 16th Birthday, Julie."

**((It's really short. I know. I just wanted to tease you a bit before I post the next big chapter. And I wanted to show you Julie's relationship with her brother, how much she cares about Dean and such. It being her birthday was kind of random of me, especially cause 16 is like the WOW age but I was reading the first chapter and it said she was only 15 and that irritated me so there you go. Champion was my doggie's name but he was a yellow Labrador not a retriever. Shanna looks kinda like Shanna Barker in my image so, whatever. You might meet her eventually. I'll update again, hugely, this week. X0))**


	13. Hanging By A Moment

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The background stories and families I did write and I own any non-movie characters. Hanging by a Moment is a song by Lifehouse.))  
_**

Julie sat at a random table in the ornate dining hall at the country club. She pulled an abandoned champagne glass toward her and downed it quickly. Needless to say she wasn't exactly having a good time. She knew absolutely nobody besides her family and her mother had already fed her a speech about something or other. A young waiter came by with a tray full of champagne flutes. She stopped him and grabbed two glasses. He smiled and checked her out. You couldn't exactly blame him, Julie looked amazing. She was wearing a tight knee-length black dress with a dangerously low neckline. She smiled sweetly at him and sipped one of the glasses.  
"Hi, I'm 16." His smile instantly faded and he went away with the tray. _This is so depressing; I'm having an awful time with people I barely know on my damn birthday! And I didn't even remember that it was my birthday! _She walked towards the door, a little wobbly in the 4-inch heels and alcohol buzz she was under. Once outside in the cool air she sat on the curb of the driveway. Having already finished one glass she started on the second. She then pulled her blonde hair back into a ponytail. She missed Dean more than she had even expected to. It was so difficult for her to just sit her and dwell on the fact that she was never gonna see him again. Julie pulled the heels off her feet and crossed her legs on the concrete. Hard to believe that just this morning she had been sleeping in his arms. She wanted to go home and lay in her bed, it was already midnight and she was exhausted from the plane ride. She stands up, puts the shoes under an arm and grabs the empty glasses. She quickly ditches the glasses and finds her father inside.  
"Dad." Jack Gaffney turns around to face his daughter.  
"Hey, Leelee."  
"I wan—need to go home. I don't feel so good."  
"Alright, well Arnie is out for an ice run, see if he can drop you off."  
"Ugh, Arnold?" Arnold was one of Julie's many ex-boyfriends. His family had married into Julie's many times over the years. He is 18 now and still just as stupid as he was before.  
"Julie, your mother and I can't leave here until the party ends, you know that. If you really must leave, go with Arnie or you stay here until 3."  
"Unfortunately I really need to get the hell out of here." She said while putting her shoes back on. Julie found Arnold Fitzgerald standing by the door. He turned around and nearly knocked her over. When he realized who she was he was awestruck. He looked her up and down twice before speaking.  
"Julie, hey."  
"Hey Arnold. Uh my dad said you might be able to give me a ride home. I'm not feeling so good all of a sudden." That has nothing to do with the 5 glasses of champagne, I'm sure.  
"Uh sure, I'd be glad to. When did you get back?"  
"Today." She answered shortly leading the way out the front door. He unlocked the door to his Mercedes Benz and got in the driver's seat. Julie sat down in the passenger seat and tried her hardest not to look at him. They had gone out for a few months last year when he was 17. They had broken up because he was an idiot, literally, and all he ever wanted to do was hook up with her. He doesn't seem to have changed much.  
"So, I saw you on TV. That was an incredible save."  
"Yeah." She said leaning her head on the window.  
"You look really good, Julie." There isn't much to say to that, is there?  
"You too." Thankfully the rest of the way was mostly silence and when he pulled up in the long driveway Julie hadn't even noticed. She was so tired and out of it. That's why she didn't realize that Arnold had one hand on her shoulder. Not until he pulled her and kissed her quickly. She brought her hands to his chest and pushed him away.  
"What the fuck are you doing, Arnold?"  
"Don't pretend like you don't miss me Julie." She opened the door and stepped out. Door still open she let all her anger loose.  
"First of all pervert, I have a boyfriend. Secondly I could have your stupid ass arrested for even touching me. God Arnold! You're 18 fucking years old! What the hell are you still doing in Bangor? Lastly, even if I didn't have a boyfriend, I still wouldn't want you!" She slammed the door shut and stomped up the steps. Closing the door behind her tripped on her heels and fell forward. The expression that 'you're a skater, you know how to fall' seemed to be true because she quickly threw her hands out and landed in a simple position. Pulling off the shoes, she stands back up. Now that she was somewhat calmer she went into the vast kitchen and to the phone. There was a message blinking. She hit the button and it began to play. Julie walks over to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of water.  
"Hello, this is Gordon Bombay. I'm calling with regards to Julie. Uh, Julie, I just got in from L.A. and found out some interesting news about the team. If you wouldn't mind calling me back, I think you're gonna like what I have to tell you. You can reach me at 612-416-9727. Thanks, bye." Loud, annoying beep. _Whatever_, Julie thinks as she jogs up stairs. She walks through the double doors leading to her parent's huge bedroom and into their equally large bathroom. Her eyes look at their reflection in the wall-length mirror. Her eyes are puffy from crying and her make-up wilting from her face. She opens the cabinet next to the mirror and sees some brown hair dye. Julie quickly opens it and starts to follow the directions on the box.

**_Dean's POV  
_**I'm sitting at the small kitchen table next to the phone being anxious. I just got home half an hour ago and my mother had gone out with her boyfriend of the week. There were no messages, no nothing. Not that I had really expected anyone to call, but I just wished someone had. Julie, Fulton, Charlie, somebody. But no there was nobody. So what the hell am I doing inside on a night like this? I should call my friends and ask them to hang out with me tonight. Or just head to their favorite hangout right now. Yeah, I think as I swing my black leather jacket over my shoulders and put it on. I'm halfway to the door and the phone rings. I double back at lightening speed and pick up before the second ring.  
"Hello?"  
"Hello, Dean?"  
"Yeah."  
"This is Coach Bombay." Okay, definitely the last person I expected.  
"Uh, Hi Coach."  
"Hey, listen is your mother there?"  
"Uh, no. Why?"  
'Well I have some new news about the team I think you aught to hear."  
"Oh yeah?"  
"Yeah, you interested?"  
"Shoot, Coach."  
...

**((It's not very long or interesting, but that's because the story is winding down. You guys obviously know what the news is gonna be, Eden Hall and such. Julie dying her hair was me being bored. But in D3 at the scholarship induction in the beginning, her hair is actually much darker. One or two more chapters before I start the sequel: _The Eden Hall Warriors. _Thanks for reviewing.))**


	14. Better Off

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The background stories and families I did write and I own any non-movie characters. ))  
_**

**_Julie's POV_**  
"Jillian be reasonable. Eden Hall is an amazing school." My father said calmly trying to knock some sense into my insane mother. Yeah, my parents' names are Jack and Jill. I sit next to my father with my head down, light brown hair falling over my face. My brother seems to find the whole affair hysterical while listening.  
"So is Kennedy Academy."  
"But Julie has been invited on scholarship…"  
"The hell with the scholarship, Jack! We don't need their money."  
"Honey, if she goes she'll be on the best highschool team in the area."  
"And away from here, where she belongs! Besides how is she supposed to meet a decent boy in Minnesota? Without us there she will be reckless and become some kind of delinquent. I will not allow it." UGHHH! You fucking insane woman.  
"Jillian, please. Julie is a responsible, sixteen year old girl. She knows what she is doing. Eden Hall is a great chance for her. And if she doesn't like it there she can come home. This hockey team is an amazing opportunity."  
"She shouldn't even be playing hockey and she wouldn't be, if I had anything to do with it." Thank god you don't you horrible woman. I used to figure skate at her request, that's how I came across hockey in the first place. Nothing I do if ever good enough for her. And to my dad, I'm just his little goalie.  
"Julie is a great hockey player, she will excel." He's a compulsive maniac. "You need to accept this. Julie will be great at anything she does."  
"Jack, honestly, you can't call her responsible. She was alone for no less than a few hours and she completely wrecks her hair. She cannot be trusted, she's too young." Seriously, I swear I'm adopted. "Julie--"  
"Here's a crazy idea." Erik says suddenly. "How about we ask Julie? Instead of talking about her like she isn't sitting right there? And by the way, I like your hair." I smile meekly at my brother, but there was more. I see the glint in his eyes, that he has something up his sleeve. "Julie wants to go to Eden Hall Academy on full athletic and academic scholarship with her team. She has to be there for the scholarship induction by August 7th and she will be there. We all will be happy for her. Now let's just change the subject."  
"To what, may I ask?" My mother asked now angry that she had been overruled.  
"Oh nothing much." Erik said starting to leave the room. "Oh yeah, Shanna is pregnant." Uh oh…cue family freak out. I get up and walk onto the balcony outside. Champion is laying comfortably on a sofa. I nudge him over and sit with his head in my lap. Eden Hall Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota with all of the ducks. This is way better than I could've imagined. So Dean was right, it really doesn't end here. I have to be down there within two weeks for the induction by the dean. I can't help but smile, and I want to leave as soon as possible. Maybe buy some new clothes and repack the suitcase. Besides better there than here in this madness with Erik's wedding, apparently Shanna's pregnant and my mother on the verge of a nervous breakdown. A small breeze from the lake comes by and blows my hair into my face. The quickly push back the brown strand. I'm not sure why I dyed my hair, and it isn't much. Maybe one shade darker than it used to be but instead of blonde it's brown. It's light though, especially at ends, and it'll wash out within a few weeks. Now it's pretty much the same color as Adam's hair. As if people didn't already think that we're related. I stand up and sigh. The fight between Erik and Satan, I mean my mother, had moved from the kitchen to the living room on the other side of the house. So I come into the kitchen and walk directly to the phone. I pull a small crumpled piece of paper from my pocket and dial the number that was written on it. With each ring I got more and more anxious.  
"Hello?" A cool male voice answers and my mind goes blank. "Hello?"  
"Hi Dean."  
**End POV**

**_Dean's POV  
_**"Julie, hi." I say standing up from my chair and slightly freaking out. Her voice sent shivers through my whole body. I had been hoping for her to call me and now she has and I have nothing to say. What the fuck? Say something!  
"How are you?" She says beating me to the punch.  
"Uh, good, fine. What about you?"  
"I'm okay."  
"Gotten into any trouble yet?" I say to break the silence.  
"Um well I got slightly tipsy last night and dyed my hair brown."  
"That's…nice." Why is this so awkward? I had just seen her yesterday morning.  
"So this Eden Hall thing?"  
"Yeah. You going?"  
"The odds are good. What about you?" I could hear the anticipation in her voice.  
"I'm thinking about it. It sounds cool. Do you know if the whole team will go?"  
"I think everyone but Jesse. Jesse's family is moving someplace near Atlanta and they won't let him stay in Minnesota."  
"That sucks."  
"Yeah." She drew in a large breath. "I hope you do come Dean."  
"Yeah I know. Me too." I sigh, that sounds so lame.  
"So I guess you were right after all."  
"What?"  
"You're the one who said it didn't end at the Goodwill games. This is like a second chance for the team." _And us_…  
"Yeah, I guess I was right."  
"I'm missing you already, Dean." Thank god, because I've been dying to say that.  
"I miss you too, Jules."  
"What no cute girls over in Chicago?" She said jokingly.  
"Not as cute as you, I guess."  
"No, I guess not."  
"What about you? No society boys for you, Gaffney?"  
"There are plenty of them. But like I told you, they're not my type."  
"Sure, sure. I still think you'll end up with one of them."  
"Whatever."  
"So when are you heading back to Minneapolis?"  
"ASAP. My house is madness. I can't even find a moment of peace."  
"Yeah well its better than being bored all day."  
"I'm sorry." She said laughing. "Have you heard from anyone else?"  
"I talked to Fulton earlier. He's so psyched for this."  
"Really? Fulton psyched about a prep school?"  
"Hey no uniform, play hockey, got the ducks. It sounds alright."  
"I was gonna end in a prep school either way so it's all good."  
"So have you heard from anyone?"  
"Connie, Charlie, Averman, Guy, Golburg, Jesse and now you."  
"Damn, Julie."  
"Well when Connie called Charlie, Averman, Guy, Golburg and Jesse were sitting right there."  
"Oh." Lucky bastards. "So how are they?"  
"Fine, hanging out at the Mall of America all day, seeing free movies from Averman, skating around. Usual stuff. They're so lucky they're all together."  
"Yeah I know."  
"Can I call you later, I gotta go."  
"Yeah sure." I say surprised by her suddenness.  
"Okay bye."  
"Bye."  
**End POV**

**_Julie's POV  
_**I sigh loudly as I put the phone back on the receiver. Erik had come back into the kitchen, thankfully alone but was attempting to listen to my conversation. He jumped up to sit on the kitchen counter and smiled at me.  
"What now, Erik?"  
"So was that the guy?"  
"As a matter of fact it--" The phone behind me rang loudly. Please don't be Dean, not now. Erik would have a field day.  
"Hello?" I say with Erik still watching me. I stick my tongue out at him.  
"Hey Julie." I breathe a sigh of relief.  
"Oh hey Adam." I give Erik my meanest face and mouth the words 'Not the guy' at him. He laughs and leaves the room. "What's up?"  
"You heard about Eden Hall right?"  
"Yeah Bombay called last night."  
"You're coming right?"  
"Yeah."  
"When do you think you'll be able to fly in?"  
"Sometime this week. Why?"  
" I just found out the dorms won't be in use until September 9th."  
"What? That's the first day of school right? Where are we supposed to stay in the mean time?"  
"That's why I'm calling actually. If you're coming my parents will gladly talk to yours to have you stay here until school starts."  
"In your house?"  
"Yeah. You interested?"  
"Yeah, sure."  
"My mother will be friggin ecstatic, she loves you."  
"I met her once." I say laughing.  
"Yeah she's insane. Anyway call me soon with details on your flight."  
"Yeah okay."  
"Bye Julie."  
"Bye Adam."

I hang up and go to find my father to tell him about this plan. He'll be thrilled I'm sure, he loves Adam's father. And now this way I can hang out with ducks the rest of summer until school.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**((I'm strongly debating ending it right here and then posting _The Eden Hall Warriors_ first chapter. There isn't much else I can do with Julie. Maybe I can do one last chapter to help build up why Dean doesn't come back. But I dunno yet. I want to hear _your_ ideas. The thing with the sequel is that there will be a month of drama before school even starts. Review and tell me what you think, please.))**


	15. Epilogue

**_((Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Not the characters, locations or movies. The background stories and families I did write and I own any non-movie characters. )) _**

((I'm gonna make this a week after the last chapter. It's the final chapter! YAY! I finally completed a story. You have no idea how happy I am! _Eden Hall Mighty Ducks _will start soon. Review and keep me inspired!))

((I'm gonna make this a week after the last chapter. It's the final chapter! YAY! I finally completed a story. You have no idea how happy I am! will start soon. Review and keep me inspired!)) 

**_  
Dean's POV  
_**I'm sitting in the passenger's seat of my mother's beat up Honda. She's driving me to the airport for my 1 o'clock flight to Minneapolis. The flight is really short, only like an hour and a half, but I'm so anxious to see everyone again. I look over at my mom. She is relatively young, having had me when she was 17. But recently she looked so much older. Her hair that used to be dark brown and always framing her face is now fading and dry. Her flawless skin was now wrinklier, with less color in her cheeks. And she has lost a lot of weight.  
"You look like hell lately, Mom." She turns to look at me and smiles.  
"Yeah well I'm getting older, aren't I?"  
"You're not even 34, and you shouldn't be aging this quickly." I answer seriously.  
"Well maybe there is more to it than that, Dean." She says making a sharp left off the highway.  
"What do you mean?" She smiled brightly again.  
"You worry too much." She said pulling into the airport parking lot.  
"I only worry when you don't tell me what's wrong." She sighed and opened the trunk.  
"Just let it go, Dean."  
I grab my suitcase and follow her into the building. We go through security and wait at the gate. I'm beginning to really hate airports. So many people saying goodbye, it gets really fucking depressing.  
"Can't you just tell me?" I ask her desperately.  
"No, at least not now."  
"Why the hell not?"  
"Because I don't want to lay this huge burden on you the minute you're about to leave. And if I tell you now, you'll be unreasonable and you'll never go."  
"How could it possibly be that bad?" Now I'm afraid for her.  
"Dean, please. I don't want to be the reason you give up this chance."  
"What if I'm willing to do this for you?"  
"I don't want you to, okay?"  
"But--"  
"Goddamnit, would you just listen to me! You're so damn stubborn, just like your father."  
"If you don't tell me, I won't leave."  
"I'll only tell you, if you promise me you're going to get on that plane and rejoin your team and not feel guilty about leaving. Promise me that?"  
"Fine I promise."  
"I'm having a problem with cancer." She said it so quickly my mind barely had time to realize what that meant. "It's not horrible, I'm not terminal or anything. I'm starting treatment in a few weeks."  
"Cancer?" I say with confusion.  
"Yes. But I'm okay."  
"But you can't be okay, Mom. Cancer isn't like a cold it doesn't just come and go."  
"I know that, alright. But they said with treatment I should be better."  
"How long have you known this then?" She sighed.  
"Two months."  
"You've hidden this from me for two months."  
"For your own good. You wouldn't have gone to Los Angeles if I had told you immediately."  
_"Flight to Minneapolis Minnesota, now boarding."_  
"But I have to stay with you." She smiled sadly.  
"No, you don't. And I won't let you. Because you just promised me. You're going to go to Minneapolis and be with your team. You'll play at that amazing highschool and you won't feel guilty about going, ever."  
"Mom…"  
"No. You promised me." She kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly. "Now go."  
I'm not really sure how but I made myself walk to the gate. I got on that plane and in less than 1½ hours I was back where I started.

**((A little sad and morbid, I know. Like poor Dean hasn't suffered enough. New story will probably start with Julie at Adam's house.I might even post as soon as tomorrow...Maybe…review and tell me what you think.))_  
_**


End file.
